Never Alone
by xSweetEternityx
Summary: -AU/AH Chlerek- Chloe is a transfer student for Lyle Academy, which is known for their special duo programs: Gen-Ed and Arts-Ed. However, due to the reason that she transferred late, the dorm rooms are all filled with the exception of one: Derek Souza's
1. Back to Oakridge

**A/N: Hi everyone! This is my second fanfic for Darkest Powers! I'm a really big fan of Chlerek so I love developing ideas and writing about them. This fanfic will most likely be longer than my previous DP fanfic, Fire and Ice (6 chapters). I'm probably guessing at least 15 chapters or so. Anyway, this idea suddenly came to me recently and I had to write about it, so here it goes!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers**

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><p><strong><span>Never Alone<span>**

(Darkest Powers Fanfic)

Summary: [AU] _Chloe is a transfer student for Lyle Academy, which is known for their special duo programs: Gen-Ed and Arts-Ed. However, due to the reason that she transferred late, the _dorm_ rooms are all filled with the exception of one: Derek Souza's._

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Back to Oakridge<strong>

As the soft humming of the car's engine slowed to a stop, I glanced out the window to look at my new school. It wasn't the first time that I had changed schools in my life. Nor was it my second. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the number of times that I had to change schools exceeded the number of years that I've been alive for. It wasn't like I wanted to go to a different school every time my dad moved from location to location for his work; there just wasn't a choice. At least this time, I moved back to an area that I was somewhat familiar with, considering that I had once lived here about eight years ago, when I was 8. Only difference was that this time, I was going to go to a private school that wasn't exactly in town. Lyle Academy was located on the outskirts of Oakridge and took at least an hour and a half to drive out here. So that is why I decided to live on campus.

A voice pulled me from my thoughts, "Do you have everything you need, Chloe?"

I glanced back at my aunt, who seemed to grow more and more concerned with the passing minute. "Yes, Aunt Lauren. I'm sure that I have everything packed. Besides, dorm rooms aren't really big to begin with, so there wasn't much need to bring everything," I replied.

Aunt Lauren frowned. "For a well known school, they should make their dorms more comfortable for their residents," she commented.

I shrugged. You can't have everything in life. I got out of the car and Aunt Lauren popped open the trunk and took out my luggage. I didn't have a lot, just the necessities and some mementos from my friends that went to my previous schools. As I hoisted my backpack over my shoulders, Aunt Lauren turned to me, "Do you want me to come in with you?" she offered.

I shook my head. "No, I'll be fine on my own. Besides, I was told that my transfer details got through without a problem," I said.

That was a part of the reason why I didn't want Aunt Lauren coming in with me. Usually no one else had their parents hovering over their shoulders at everything they do and I wanted to fit in. Well, Aunt Lauren wasn't exactly a parent, but she was my guardian while my dad was away on work. My mom died in a car accident when I was little, so Aunt Lauren had taken it upon herself to make sure that I had a female role model to look up to. I do love her but she could be a little over-caring at times.

Aunt Lauren looked unconvinced and started to say something before changing her mind. "Alright then, if you're sure," she said at last while I confirmed my decision. "Well, if you have anything you ever want to talk about, you can always phone me. I'll wait for you to enter the school before I drive off then."

She gave me brief hug before I walked the path up to the academy. As I approached, I could see that to the left of Lyle Academy was a large grass field meant for soccer or football whereas to the right of the academy were the dormitories. Throughout the campus, kids dressed in uniforms were seen in groups or on their own as I continued my walk. Some gave me quizzical looks while others merely glanced at me before heading off to their destinations. I guess it wasn't that common to have late transfer students in the middle of September. Once I reached the main doors, I looked back Aunt Lauren and her silver Mercedes and waved. She waved back before starting the car and driving down the driveway. I entered the building and my eyes adjusted to the contrast in light. Inside, more of the student body was buzzing around, their voices bouncing off the walls. Walking a little further in, I arrived at the office door and entered. Once inside, the drone of voices from the hallway became muted. Looking up from her desk, the secretary glanced at me. She had graying hair and had a kind grandmother-ly face. "Hello, is there something that I could help you with?" she asked.

Shifting my backpack to one shoulder, I slipped my hand inside and took out my transfer papers. "I'm Chloe Saunders and I'm transferring in today," I told her as I gave her my papers.

The secretary took them and gave them a quick scan. "Oh that's right, I faintly recall being reminded of that earlier this morning. Welcome to Lyle Academy, Chloe, I'm Mrs. Talbot," she said kindly as she looked up my profile on her computer.

I murmured my thanks as I watch her reach into her filing cabinet drawer and pull something out. She then placed them on the desk facing me. "This is your schedule with the courses that you requested for and there is a map on the backside. All of your courses will have the room number as well as the associated teacher on your timetable," said Mrs. Talbot.

She also handed me a key with a room number on it, _C305_. "Let me guess, my room key?" I suggested as I looked down at the small brass key in my palm.

Mrs. Talbot smiled. "Yes, Chloe. You have C dorm with the room number 305," she said as her smile faded slightly. "It says on the records that you initially asked for a single gendered dorm, which would have been dorm A. However, you transferred late into the month and because of that, the single gendered dorm has already been filled."

I shrugged. It wasn't a really big deal to me whether I was in a girl's dormitory or a co-gender dormitory instead. "That's ok, I don't mind," I reassured her.

My reassurance, however, didn't seem to please Mrs. Talbot as she started to frown. "It also says here that the co-gender dorm rooms were already filled with two residents per room with the exception of one room. That room is room that you're assigned to. But that's not all. Apparently, you're also rooming with a young man by the name of Derek Souza," she said.

My heart thudded loudly in my chest. I had to room with a guy? "B-but don't usually residents of a single gender share a room?" I asked as I gripped the brass key firmly in my hand, its edges cutting into the skin of my palm.

Mrs. Talbot nodded. "That is true, but it doesn't seem to be the case here. All the other residents have already been assigned room mates and that won't be able to be changed until further notice," she answered.

"I'm sure you and Derek will get along fine," Mrs. Talbot added with a small sympathetic smile. "However, if there is an extreme problem, it is important that you report it to me right away. Then I could let the headmaster, Mr. Davidoff, know. Also, if you'd like, you could leave your luggage here and I could get someone to bring it up to your room for you while you take a tour around the school."

My shoulders slumped in defeat as I mumbled my thanks and slipped the key into my pocket. So, I was going to room with a guy. That's no big deal, right? Well, it probably would be if I didn't stutter like crazy and sound like an idiot when I talk to guys. As for my dating life, well, that was pretty non-existent. I'm short, I look like I'm 12, I have close to no curves and I have a speech impediment. This is the worst situation I could get myself into. I sighed heavily as I began to familiarize myself with the campus. Because today was my first day, I didn't have any classes until tomorrow morning.

As I found my locker and inserted some of my school books into there, I heard someone calling me. "Hey! You there with the blond hair and red streaks!"

I spun around looking for the owner of that cheerful voice. A familiar blond girl ran towards me, her long legs moving gracefully as she crossed the hall. "Chloe! Is that you?" she asked.

My eyes widened as I took on the sight of my old friend from when I had lived here. "L-liz?" I asked uncertainly.

She grinned, her whole face lighting up in delight. "Oh wow, it really is you! I can't believe it. It's been forever since I last saw you!" Liz exclaimed happily.

"Technically, it's been eight," another voice cut in.

I looked behind Liz and saw another girl with short, dark spiky hair striding towards us. "Well, I know that, obviously, but I'm so happy to see Chloe," Liz retorted to her friend.

The dark haired girl gave me a small smile. "It's been a while, Chloe," she said.

I returned her smile. "Yeah, it's good to see you too, Tori," I replied.

Elizabeth Delaney, or Liz, was my neighbour when I last lived in Oakridge, back when I was 8 years old. She was always really friendly and bubbly and I had taken an instant liking to her back then. Now, I could see that she was still the same. Victoria Enright, or Tori, was originally one of Liz's friends. In the beginning, I thought she was rather stuck up and cynical as a kid, which resulted in a lot of kids in our class hating her. But as time passed, she treated me as an equal and stood up for me when the other kids laughed at my stuttering.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Liz asked as she shifted her messenger bag to her other shoulder.

I shrugged. When I had to move, I was extremely torn about the fact that I wouldn't be able to see my two good friends again, but we had promised to keep in contact through 3-way phone calls and instant messaging. "Well, things were pretty busy lately with all the moving. I was send you guys a message saying that I was back in Oakridge tonight, but I guess that's not needed now," I admitted.

Liz grinned again. "That's really great that the three of us get to hang out together again. We can continue our midnight rituals of midnight feasting and gossiping in dorm A," she said.

Tori snorted. "As long as you don't eat everything immediately, like you used to do," she added.

My smile faded as I realized that they were both in a different dorm. "I-i didn't a-actually get into dorm A," I admitted quietly.

Liz and Tori looked at me in confusion. "Then you're in dorm C?" Tori asked. "How'd you get there?"

I sighed as I recalled what Mrs. Talbot had told me. Liz looked slightly down that we wouldn't be able to have our weekly rituals of eating snacks at midnight, like we used to do during sleepovers, but she was able to manage a smile. "Well, that hinders a few things, but at least you're living in residence with the rest of us. Who's your room mate anyway?"

I swallowed hard. "Since all the other rooms are already filled up, I have to room with a g-guy," I answered nervously as I shifted my weight to one foot.

Tori's eyebrows shot to her hairline. "_Seriously_? Whoa, that's actually pretty legit. I didn't know that guys and girls can share rooms. If it weren't for my mom, I'd probably try to get into dorm C,"

Liz nodded emphatically. "That is pretty cool, though I wouldn't know how to act normal around him. I'd probably talk his ear off and make him annoyed enough to request for a transfer. But who's the lucky guy? Have you met him? Is he cute?" she questioned as she waved for us to walk.

I shrugged. "I don't know since I haven't met him yet. I heard from Mrs. Talbot that his name is Derek Souza," I said nonchalantly.

I walked a few paces forward before realizing that my two friends had stopped moving altogether. Frowning, I turned around to look at them. "What's the matter?"

Tori and Liz both had identical faces that revealed shock and disbelief. "Did you just say _Derek Souza_?" Tori asked.

I nodded slowly, still not understanding. "Yeah... what's wrong with you two?" I questioned as my frown deepened.

Liz and Tori exchanged a quick glance before turning to me. "He's kind of... weird," Tori said slowly as though she didn't quite know how to explain it to me.

My heart thudded loudly. "W-what do you mean 'weird'?" I stammered as images of rooming with a mentally ill adolescent male filled my head.

"Not 'weird' really," Liz said quickly. "Just that he's a bit on the quiet side."

"You mean that he keeps to himself?"

Tori nodded. "Yeah. He also doesn't have any friends. Other than his brother, Simon. Who's super cute by the way," she added.

Liz gave her a knowing smile and nudged her. "You still like him after he turned you down?"

"No way! I'm just saying that he's cute. I'm definitely _not_ chasing after a guy who rejects me. That would be pathetic and stupid on my part," Tori replied with a snort. "Besides, there are better guys out there."

"W-wait. Tell me more about D-derek," I said, desperate to know what I was in store for.

Liz looked thoughtful. "Strangely enough, I think he's a year older than we are, but he's in our grade. Not sure of the reason why. He kind of has an intimidating air about him, so everyone usually leaves him alone, except for his brother. They're real close despite being in different faculties. Derek's in Gen-Ed whereas Simon is in Arts-Ed with me," she explained as she nodded down at her uniform. "Maybe Tori knows more since she's in Gen-Ed as well."

Tori rolled her eyes. "There's a bunch of rumors flying around about Derek, but I don't know whether or not they're real. No one knows much about him and although Simon's the friendlier of the two, he won't spill the beans about his brother," she confessed. "My advice? If I were you, I'd have as little contact with Derek as possible. You don't want to piss him off."

And with that, we reached the dormitories. I bid Tori and Liz goodbye as they headed off to dorm A while I walked towards dorm C. Once inside, I saw a mix of students, mostly out of their uniforms and into their regular clothing. They were mainly just hanging out in the common area or doing homework at the individual tables nearby. For the most part, they just gave me a curious look before returning to their conversations. I made my way up three flights of stairs before landing on the third floor.

My heart thudded with each and every step that I took, bringing me closer and closer to my designated room. The brass numbers on the doors went by in a blur as I focused only on one number: C305. Finally, in what felt like seconds and probably was, I stood outside room C305.

I took a deep breath. This was it; time to meet my new room mate for the rest of the year. I inserted the key into the lock and turned to the right, unlocking the door. Then I opened the door and walked in.

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><p><strong>AN: Yep, I'm cruel like that. Cliff-hanger right off the bat. Any predictions for the next chapter? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you have any comments or constructive criticism, I'd love to hear about it. Please look forward to the next chapter!**


	2. Aquamarine meets Tsavorite Garnet

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks for all of the reviews on the previous chapter! It was more than I had expected for just the first chapter. Things are starting pretty slow, since I want to build things up before I launch in the cooler parts, so I hope you'll stick with me. Just a note as some of you are probably wondering: Chloe and Co. don't have powers in this fic (it's an AU as I've written in the summary).  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Aquamarine meets Tsavorite Garnet<strong>

As I stepped inside my room, I nearly collided into a solid wall. Catching myself at the last moment, I stepped back and realized that I was staring at a baggy hoodie at chest level. Raising my eyes to head level, I froze as I was caught under the intense scrutiny of my room mate.

To say that his physical appearance was surprising would have been an understatement. For one, he was taller than any guy my age with shoulders as wide as the door frame. His face was covered in a scatter of acne, red and angry. But even without it, he didn't seem like a physically attractive guy that most girls would swoon over either. Derek's overgrown bangs shielded his forehead and made a curtain for his eyes. However, as intense as his eyes were, I couldn't help but stare at them; his irises resembled the colour of Tsavorite Garnet, a gemstone that Aunt Lauren once had. In contrast to his face, they were a surprisingly beautiful shade.

"Are you done looking?" he said, his voice a low rumble.

I blinked as I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. "S-sorry. I'm C-c-chloe S-saunders. Nice to meet you," I stammered as I held out my hand to him.

He stared down at my hand as though it was covered with swarming maggots. "Derek," he grumbled, making no motion to shake my outstretched hand.

I lowered my hand awkwardly. "Has my stuff been brought up?" I asked, desperate to get out of this awkwardness.

"Look for yourself," said Derek as he headed for the door, circling as wide around me as physically possible.

Without another word, the door closed with a click and I was left alone in my new room for the year. Exhaling slowly, I tried to calm my beating heart, that felt as though it wanted to burst out of my chest. Derek Souza was intense, without a doubt. How was I going to survive rooming with him?

Shaking the thought out of my head, I studied my room. Contrary to what I thought earlier, the room was bigger than I had imagined. The walls were a shade of pale yellow with two twin-sized beds, two dressers and two desks. Derek's side of the room was the exact mirror of my side, though it didn't look as empty. That wasn't to say that it wasn't neat. Usually when I thought of a guy's room, I would imagine clothing thrown onto the floor, papers scattered everywhere and well, that was the typical image. Derek's side was extremely well organized, without a thing out of place. His books were shelved neatly over the bed and none of his clothes were in sight.

I frowned. Is he a neat freak? I definitely wasn't. Although I wasn't a horribly messy person, I couldn't keep my things as neat as the way Derek kept his. I would probably need to put in quite some effort to be tidy. A throw rug covered the hardwood flooring and the door to a small bathroom was located in the area between the room and the room door. In general, it looked pretty decent to me. Near my bed was my luggage that Mrs. Talbot had promised to bring up. I dropped my backpack onto the floor and collapsed onto my bed. Although it was a little smaller than I would have liked, it was indeed quite comfortable. After my long day, I closed my eyes and drifted off.

A knock at the door woke me from my exhausted sleep. My eyelids fluttered open as my brain told me that I should get up and answer that door. Half-awake, I stole a glance at the clock and realized that it had been several hours since my encounter with Derek. Speaking of my roommate, I got up and looked around the room. There was no sign of him. I frowned. What was he doing? Avoiding me already? Luckily, another sharp knock at the door reminded me why I was awake in the first place.

"Chloe? You there?" Liz's voice was muffled through the door.

"Yeah! Just hang on a minute," I called back as I did my best damage control.

I quickly rummaged through my backpack and grabbed a small comb and quickly brushed away my bed-hair. I threw my comb back into my backpack before opening the door to reveal Liz and Tori, which the latter looked rather annoyed. "God, what were you doing in there?" she asked impatiently.

I shot her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I fell asleep and just woke up."

"You must be exhausted," Liz commented sympathetically. "Sorry to wake you, but we were wondering if you'd like to join us for dinner."

I nodded emphatically as I suddenly felt very hungry. I haven't eaten anything since brunch since I was anxious about starting at Lyle Academy and living in dorms for the first time in my life. We walked and chatted as we made our way to the cafeteria, which was in the school. "So, does it matter when we eat dinner?" I asked.

Liz shook her head. "Nope, you can eat according to whenever, though the cafeteria closes at 10 in the evening. If you want to avoid the rush hour, I would suggest eating on the off hour, like we are now."

The level of noise suddenly escalated as the smell of warm food fanned my face. Looking around, I noticed that the cafeteria wasn't extremely busy as Liz had said. While some were eating dinner, others were chatting with their friends or doing homework. As we stood in the lineup, Liz suddenly nudged me. "See that guy over there? The one with the dark blond spikes?"

"Yeah. Who's he?"

Tori smirked. "_That's_ Simon, your roommate's brother."

I stared at her before giving the said-guy with another close inspection. Brothers? I may not know a lot about genetics, but there was no way that the two were blood brothers. "Derek's adopted," Liz said as if reading my mind. "I heard that when he was five, he went to live with Simon and his dad."

Well, that explained a few things. From where I was standing, I could see that he was quite the popular guy as everyone at his table gave him their undivided attention. Simon was definitely cute, with asian looks and hair that was artfully spiked. When he grinned at his friend's comment, I could imagine a few girls swooning at his smile. He had an average build, unlike his brother's giant features. "He seems nice," I murmured.

Liz nodded emphatically as she moved forward in the line. "Yeah he is. Simon's also in the art stream, so you'll probably see him sometime in class. He's a really good artist and one of the glass exhibits in school has a sketch by him," she informed me.

Finally, it was our turn to order. I had previously gotten a meal card and I gave my order of a chicken salad wrap and fries while Liz ordered a slice of pizza and Tori got cesar salad. As we grabbed a tray and looked for a table, a male voice called out, "Hey Liz!"

My head turned to the owner of the voice, a guy with bright red hair and a scatter of freckles across the bridge of his nose. I frowned, he looked kind of familiar somehow, though I couldn't exactly place his face. Liz turned and hesitated before giving him a slight smile. "Hey yourself," she said.

"Come over and join our table," the guy suggested.

Liz looked at Tori, who shrugged. "Whatever you decide. I don't particularly care," said Tori with a snort.

Liz then turned to me. "Do you mind?" she asked.

"Nope, it's fine with me," I replied non-chalantly.

We headed over in the direction where the guy sat and he made room for us. As I was the one closest to the table, I ended up sitting next to him. "Hey, you must be new. I'm Nate Bozian," he said with a friendly grin.

I froze. Somehow that name seemed familiar. But as I struggled to remember, his grin faded. "Most people would introduce themselves back. Especially cute girls like yourself."

"S-sorry. I'm Chloe Saunders," I stammered as I felt my cheeks heat up.

It wasn't every day that a really good looking guy called you 'cute'. Up close, Nate had a really nice face, the type that most girls would deem 'hot'. He had long eyelashes and pale green eyes that lit up as he smiled at me. Although he was wearing a casual designer t-shirt, I could see that his arms were quite muscular and that he had the body of a jock. Nate briefly introduced me to everyone at the table and they all greeted me warmly. It was obvious that Nate was the leader of this group. As Liz and Tori chatted with the other people at the table, Nate and I exchanged small talk. It turned out that he was in the General program, though he took drama as an elective. He was into quite a lot of sports and he was the captain of last year's basketball team.

Finally, we finished eating and it was time to head back to our dorm. "Which dorm are you in, Chloe?" Nate asked as he brought our dishes to the stack of dirty plates on the counter.

"Dorm C, you?"

Nate grinned. "Hey that's awesome, so am I! Who's the lucky roommate?"

I hesitated for a slight moment before answering him, "Derek Souza."

Nate's face suddenly became unreadable as he processed my words. His voice was strained as he tried to pass it off as a laugh. "_Seriously_ ? Of all the roommates you could have ended up with, you end up with _him_?"

A pang of unease zinged through me. Was Derek really so bad? Sure, he was a little hard to approach and I honestly don't really know him, but he seemed pretty okay to me. And yet the way Nate worded his sentence made it seem like even if Derek was the last person on earth, Nate wouldn't room with him. I shrugged off my discomfort, hoping that Nate didn't notice. "Can't be helped since I transferred late," I murmured.

Nate's strained smile became real as he laughed at that. "True that," he said with a grin. "Well, if you ever want better company than Mr. Anti-social, you're welcome to find me at room C211."

And with that, he left with his friends while I left with mine. "Well, you seemed pretty cozy with Nate back there," Tori observed as we left the cafeteria.

I blushed. "He seems like a nice guy for the most part," I replied.

Liz nodded. "Nate's pretty popular and generally, most people like him. Did you remember him?"

"Remember him? From where?"

Tori smirked. "From 8 years ago obviously. He was in our class," she answered.

I stared at her in disbelief. "No way. I would have remembered him."

"Well, he looked a lot different then," Liz said with a small smile. "He used to have these really big nerdy glasses and crooked teeth that made him look like a jack-o-lantern."

I frowned as I tried to recall my memories of Oakridge from 8 years ago. Now that Liz mentioned it, I do faintly remember a boy who sat alone in the corner, with large glasses, usually hidden beneath a long curtain of flaming red hair. I spoke to him once, but he seemed to prefer being alone, so I left him that way. "Oh wow, now I remember him," I replied slowly. "He certainly changed a lot since then. Like a whole 180."

"So, what did you mean when you said that he was a 'nice guy for the most part'?" Liz asked curiously.

"He was pretty talkative and friendly, but when I told him that I was roommates with Derek, he acted kind of weird. As though he has a strong dislike towards him or something," I responded, shrugging.

Tori rolled her eyes. "While most people don't have a strong opinion of Derek, Nate definitely seems to hate him," she added. "But while I think it's okay to be friendly with Nate, just be careful around him. Okay, Chloe?"

"What do you mean?"

Liz cleared her throat as she looked around us to see if there was anyone listening to our conversation. There wasn't. "Nate's a bit of a player," she said, her voice dropping in volume. "He's a total flirt and it often misleads other girls. So when they confess to him, he'll just shrug it off and say that he didn't mean for them to misunderstand him and would rather remain as friends."

Tori gave a dismissive snort. "As if. Nate totally knows the effect of his words. I personally think that it's an ego-boost for him whenever a girl falls for him. So do yourself and us a favor, don't fall for Nate Bozian."

And with that, we said good night and went off to our separate dorms. Trudging my way up to the third floor, I wondered if Derek was back. When I was in the cafeteria, I didn't see him there. It was possible that he ate earlier, during the dinner rush hour, but somehow I didn't think so. I unlocked the door with my key and stepped into complete darkness. Blinking several times to get my eyes adjusted to the dark, I realized that I could see Derek's figure already in his bed and under the covers. Not wanted to wake him, I decided that I would unpack the rest of my stuff tomorrow before school. I slipped into the room and changed into a tank and sweats before heading off to bed.

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><p><strong>AN: Not much Derek in this chapter, I apologize for that, but soon, he'll make lots of appearances in this fic. You'll just have to wait until then. ;) Anyway, hope you found this chapter decent enough. If you guys have any constructive criticism or comments, please send me a review. PS. If you're wondering what their uniforms look like, I'll have a link posted on my profile page. They have different uniforms depending on whether they're Gen-Ed or Arts-Ed. Hope you look forward to the next chapter!**


	3. Vanishing Roommate

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm amazed at the really quick reviews that I received during the past few days. Seems like I'm doing better than I thought. Which is a good thing, definitely. This chapter is slightly longer than the others and I hope you'll like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Vanishing Roommate<strong>

As a sharp pain at the back of my head woke me up from my exhausting sleep, I peered lazily around my room, only half-awake. Slowly, I rubbed the back of my head as I looked up to my bed, with the covers half concealing me and half off the bed itself. As I blinked for a few times, I started to realize that I had fallen off the bed and had hit my head against the bedside table that held my alarm clock. _Speaking of alarm clock_... I slapped my hand around the bedside table until my hand hit a familiar object and turned it to face me.

My eyes suddenly widened in horror at the time. It was already 8:15 and classes started in ten minutes! "Oh shit! Derek! Why didn't you wake me up?" I near-yelled as I scrambled off the floor, wide awake.

There was no reply. I looked furiously to my roommate's side of the room and once again, the guy was no where to be found. Cursing some more, I grabbed my bag of tolietries and rushed to the bathroom. It was only the first day and I was going to be late. I quickly did my humanly necessities and brushed my teeth in record speed, my heart thumping wildly against my rib cage. Once slightly proper, I ran back into the room and grabbed my new uniform, thankful that I had draped it on the back of the chair yesterday evening. Taking a quick glance around the room to make sure that Derek wasn't around, I quickly pulled down the blinds and changed, throwing my tank and sweats off and pulling my uniform on.

Although I was short on time, I could help but stop for a look in the mirror. It wasn't the first time I had worn a uniform, but every uniform did have a slight variation, a unique touch from their school. Now, I wore a white button down blouse underneath a royal blue blazer that buttoned to my left side. For the school skirt, it was made from blue plaid material that hung three inches above my knees. But it wouldn't be anything new if some of the girls here enjoyed toying with the school's dress code. Some of the girls from my previous schools had their skirts pulled up at least above mid-thigh and showed off their long, silky legs for everyone else to see. Though of course, they were the ones who were usually landed with detention slips, but I don't think they care, since that only added to their reputation.

I also wore black knee high socks paired with black ballerina flats. At Lyle Academy, they accepted any kind of shoes as long as they conceal your toes and since they were a popular choice with the girls at my previous schools, I decided to stick with them. Lastly, there was a green ribbon tied into a bow at the collar of my white blouse. The school's colours were mainly royal blue, emerald green, and pale yellow, and so, our school uniforms were the same. I decided to leave my wispy hair down as it wasn't quite long enough to tie up yet and grabbed my messenger bag before heading out the door.

As I rushed down the stairs, I saw that the entry way was blocked by someone in a Gen-Ed uniform. However, I had gained too much momentum to stop and collided into the figure. The person in front grunted in surprise by the collision, whereas I, unfortunately fell back. As I closed my eyes for the impact of the hard staircase, I realized that someone had prevented me from falling. Tentatively, I opened my eyes to see a pair of washed-out green eyes looking at me in concern. "Chloe?"

I blinked. It was Nate. "Are you okay?"

Stunned, I nodded my head at the turn of events. "S-sorry," I stuttered as my face lit up in embarrassment.

Nate gave me a small smile. "Nah, it's no big deal. Didn't mean to block the stairway, but as you can see, it's like a herd of animals out there," he gestured behind him.

Leaning around him, I could see that he was right. Most of the residents of dorm C were heading out the door, in the direction of the school. However, some were moving quickly whereas others weren't. "I'm going to be late on my first day," I muttered miserably as my eyes darted from side to side, looking for a possible way to get out.

"Hang on," Nate said as he looked for a way. Then he shouted to be heard over the student body. "Hey! Move! Some of us want to get to class on time!"

Almost instantly, the crowd cleared a small path for him, as though they didn't want to get on his bad side. "Whoops, sorry Nate!" a girl giggled, not looking sorry at all as she darted out of the way.

Nate rolled his eyes down at me as he eased out of the doorway and made an _after you_ gesture. I rolled my eyes at him as he responded to that with a brilliant grin. _Definitely popular_,I thought to myself as I saw his friends gave him high-fives and fist-pounds as Nate followed behind me. "Catch you guys later," he called out as we headed out the door.

Once out of the dorm, we power-walked together towards the school. "So, what do you have first?" Nate asked as we entered the school building, the sound of busy bodies bouncing off the walls.

"Visual Arts."

"Ah, I have Info Tech as my elective as a Gen-Ed kid." Nate gestured to his uniform.

At Lyle Academy, because there were two different programs, each program got their own uniform. As a Gen-Ed student, Nate wore an open emerald green blazer over a white school shirt, with a royal blue neck tie dangling in front. His school pants were also emerald green and he wore black athletic sneakers to complete his look.

"When do you have lunch?" I asked as we traveled down the busy hallways, with many of the girls looking dreamily at Nate and envious towards me.

"After period B. You?"

"Same."

Nate shot me another brilliant grin as we stopped in front of my locker. "That's awesome. Anyway, I gotta get to my class. See you later, Chloe," he said as I smiled back at him and he disappeared down the hall.

I quickly grabbed my sketchpad and pencils from my locker before digging out my map of the school. _Shoot, should have asked Nate where my class is._ I glanced at my watch, there was only a minute until class began. I quickly studied the map before realizing that my locker had been strategically placed in the arts section, which meant that the art classroom had to be somewhere nearby. Glancing around, the hallways were emptying as students slipped inside their classrooms. _Crap!_ I thought to myself. _Okay, calm down. Relax, Chloe. You're get to class eventually... just not in time._ I swallowed thickly as the seconds passed on my watch. Finally, I heard the sound of fast footsteps echoing down the hall behind me and I spun around.

It was the guy that Liz and Tori had pointed out yesterday in the cafeteria. It was Simon, my roommate's brother. My breathing hitched as I saw his hands were holding a sketch pad tightly along with various pencils and other art supplies. Before I could stop myself, I hurried over to him. "Excuse me, do you have Visual Art with Madame Lafontaine?" I asked.

He glanced at me in surprise, though he didn't stop his power-walk. "Yeah, I do. Why?" he asked as I struggled to keep up with his quick stride with longer legs.

"I do too and I don't know where her classroom is," I told him as the muscles in my legs were starting to protest at the strain.

"It's just right around the corner, though I should warn you that Madame Lafontaine doesn't like people being late," said Simon as he stopped abruptly and opened a door.

As I slipped in behind him, the class stopped doing whatever they had been doing and glanced curiously in our direction. Stepping beside Simon, I saw the teacher looking at us with a stern frown. She had greying hair, tied in a tight bun. Madame Lafontaine also had the unfortunate resemblance to a vulture. "_Monsieur_ Bae! You are late again!" she screeched in a french accent.

Simon gave her a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Madame. It happens, you know?" he said with a shrug.

The teacher looked at him through narrowed eyes behind her spectacles. "It 'appens too often! Zat's the second time, alveady. Don't let eet 'appen again," she snapped.

Simon's grin faded as he plastered on a fake sorrowful look and headed towards an empty canvas. Then Madame Lafontaine turned her piercing look on me and I flinched. "And you are?"

"C-chloe Saunders," I answered. "I t-transferred yesterday."

"Vell, _mademoiselle_, I do not tolerate tardiness, but since eet is your first day, I vill ignore eet this time. Now go join your classmates."

I gave a curt nod before hurrying over to the empty canvas beside Simon. Madame Lafontaine repeated her instructions that I had clearly missed and it seemed that we had to sketch a drawing of the bowl of fruit that sat on the stool in the middle of the classroom and hand in whatever we had by the end of the period. Once she had finished, the room fell into hushed whispers as the art students got to work. As I got out my set of pencils, Simon leaned over to me. "Didn't get a chance to introduce myself," he whispered. "I'm Simon."

I gave him a smile. "Chloe," I whispered back.

Simon gave me a blazing grin. "I already know that from your introduction just a few seconds ago."

My face flushed in embarrassment. "I'm usually not late," I told him, my voice dropped a notch.

Simon shrugged. "It's no problem. I just feel bad that you had to be chewed out by _Madame Lavulture_," he murmured quietly.

I looked at Madame Lafontaine and hid a smile. She really did look like a vulture with her abnormally large nose that resembled a beak. "I don't think that's a french word," I told him.

Simon's grin returned. "Whatever, but hey, you gotta agree, she _does_ look like one."

I giggled quietly at that before turning towards the bowl of miscellaneous fruit. "A bowl of fruit? Seriously?" I murmured.

Simon rolled his eyes at the teacher. "Despite being an art teacher, she doesn't have much originality," he muttered as he took out his own set of pencils and began sketching.

We worked in comfortable silence as Madame Lafontaine went around critizing the work of others. Though my specialty was in theater, I had to admit that sketching was quite enjoyable. Enjoyable with a friendly neighbour that is. "I've heard that you're rooming with my foster-brother, Derek," Simon whispered as Madame Lafontaine passed our canvases and returned to the front of her class.

My drawing hand paused in the middle of drawing the apple. "Yeah. Did he tell you?" I asked as I turned to look at him.

Simon nodded. "Yeah, I bumped into him before dinner and he told me," he answered. "Has he been okay with you?"

A small frown crossed my face as I thought of yesterday's meeting. "I met him briefly, but I still don't know him well," I said truthfully.

Concern flickered in Simon's eyes. "He... he can be a little hard to get along with, but if you're patient, he'll come around. But don't let him push you around; he's used to getting what he wants," he told me.

I tilted my head as a question popped in my head. "How come the two of you aren't roommates?"

Simon scowled, though it seemed that he wasn't angry at me. "Blame the school. roommates are chosen at random and it turned out that I was roomed with someone else. When I protested, Mr. Davidoff said that it'd be better this way," he said angrily. "Since there were an odd number of dorm C residents, Derek ended up getting the room to himself."

"Until I came," I added. "Is that why he doesn't like me?"

Simon's dark expression faded as he studied me. "No, that's not it," he said quickly.

I gave him a look that said that I didn't believe him. "Well, I guess that could be a part of it," Simon added resignedly. "Though we were lucky to be roommates last year, since we enrolled in late and got the room to the two of us."

I nodded, taking in the information. We chatted quietly about other things such as our hobbies and our interests as we worked on our sketches until it was time to hand them in. Before we left, Madame Lafontaine gave us a small art project with the theme of 'opening up a path' that was due next week. The rest of my day went smoothly and I ate lunch with Liz, Tori, Nate and his friends in the cafeteria. However, I couldn't help noticing that again, my roommate was no where to be seen. Initially I had thought that perhaps he had a different lunch hour, but Liz shook her head and told me that Derek shared the same lunch hour as we did.

"I don't know why you'd be worried about _him_," Nate said distastefully at the mention of Derek. "He probably knows that his ugly face will take away our appetites."

I stopped eating as I scowled at Nate. He was charming and nice one moment, but when Derek's name popped up, Nate would show his darker side, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Just _what_ did he have against Derek? "He can't help the way he looks," I said with a hint of irritation in my voice.

Everyone turned to look at me in surprise. "You sound defensive, Chloe. Why is that?" Nate commented as a few of his friends nodded in agreement.

I was at a loss of words. Why _did _I defend Derek? It wasn't as if we were good friends or anything. Heck, there were more times that I haven't seen him than I have. Not to mention that he was rude as well. So why didn't I just let Nate bash him? It obviously didn't feel right, the others making jabs at Derek without him here to defend himself. But how would I explain that to Nate? Thankfully, Tori stepped in for me. "_Obviously_, Chloe would defend her roommate, no matter who they are. '_Why is that?_' Because that's who Chloe is," she snapped at him.

Nate's eyes flared with a comeback but when his eyes met mine, he backed off. "Whatever," he muttered as he picked up his lunch tray. "I'm done eating."

I stared at Nate's retreating back as he dumped the contents of his remaining food in the waste bin before heading out of the cafeteria, with his friends following. "Nate is seriously starting to bug me," Tori muttered. "Yeah Derek's not my most favorite person either, but you don't hear me ranting about him."

Liz shrugged. "Other than the fact that Derek's a little anti-social, I don't have a problem with him. He's a genius in most of the academic classes. Could it be that Nate's jealous of that? They are both in Gen-Ed."

I shrugged and soon after that, our lunch period ended, signaling the start of our classes.

The next few days passed quickly and I juggled my life between hanging out with my friends and doing school work. Drama and Creative Writing were my favorite classes, where I got to exercise my creativity skills in preparation for my future as a screen writer. Though Visual Art wasn't too far behind. Simon was great company and we often fell into an easy conversation. Unlike his brother, whom I saw rarely despite being roommates.

Like Liz had told me, Derek was in a lot of the AP (advance placement) programs regarding calculus and sciences so we didn't share any classes with the exception of English 11. But even then, I rarely got a chance to approach him. Most of the kids in class tend to avoid him like plague and those who didn't often soon learned why; Derek liked being alone and would lash out at those who came too close. He sat alone in the corner, spending more time looking out the window than paying attention in class. But despite that, his marks were top-notch.

Our relationship as roommates hasn't changed in the slightest. Derek was rarely in the room. When he was, he was either studying to the point that he had an air of _DO NOT DISTURB OR ELSE_ surrounding him like a neon yellow sign or he was asleep. However, I did learn that he was an early riser. Like _really _early. No one else I knew would wake up at the crack of dawn.

One extremely early morning later on in the week, I woke to the sound of Derek closing the door quietly behind him. Immediately, I threw off the covers and headed for a quick stop at the bathroom. I had decided to follow Derek to find out where he went at such an early time each day and planned it out the night before.

As I pulled on a hoodie over my tank top, I hesitated with my hand on the door knob. There were many rumors regarding Derek. The majority of them were about Derek being in a gang at his previous school and was also a drug addict. But I just couldn't see him being either. Derek was too smart to get involved into something like that and he was also very dedicated to his school work to earn his grades. Derek didn't look like a drug addict either. Sure, he wasn't very approachable, but I was sure that that had nothing to do with drugs but his own personality.

If the rumors weren't true, then why was Derek up so early every morning? I swallowed thickly as my heart started to race. _Only one way to find out_... I thought as I opened the door and slipped out after him.

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><p><strong>AN: Another cliff hanger! Sorry about that, but it seemed like a good place to stop here. Sorry, not much Derek again, but like I promised, there will be lots of Derek coming soon! Although Derek wasn't here a lot in person, have you noticed that Chloe thought about him quite often? I know the Nate Bozian described in The Summoning seems like a cute, nice guy, but I decided that since we don't know a lot about his character, I decided to make him different than the one described in the series. You'll see how different later on. Anyway, hope you look forward to the next chapter!**

**PS. For those who didn't notice yet, Kelley posted up Chapter 8 of the Untitled online novella today! (2 days early! WOOT!) AND even better (for me)... I'll be seeing her _real_ soon at one of the Smart Chicks Kick It stops! I can't wait! (-brings whole stack of books to be signed-)**


	4. Creeper on a Mission

**A/N: Hey everyone! I saw Kelley at the Smart Chicks Kick It tour and it was amazing! I had an awesome time and learned a lot about the other authors as well! It seems that not only fans love Derek, but several of the authors do as well. :) I was able to get all of my books signed by Kelley and got some pretty awesome swag such as Darkest Powers/Darkness Rising cartoon bookmarks! I'm really envious of the girl who got an ARC of The Calling! Too bad Kelley only had one copy for my stop. :(**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Creeper on a Mission<strong>

The door locked quietly behind me as I followed Derek out of the dorm, careful to keep out of sight. I didn't want to imagine what would happen if I was caught stalking him. Hiding behind the garbage can, I shivered at the thought. Derek would kill me for sure. I _can't_ be caught!

As I peered around my hiding spot, I saw Derek's figure moving slowly away from the school with a large gym bag. I frowned in confusion._ Please tell me he isn't dealing drugs! I just can't see him doing that!_ Heart thudding, I crept as silently as I could after him. After a few paces forward, Derek paused and stiffened. Without hesitation, I dove behind a nearby tree, trying to keep the panic from rising in my throat. _He knows! He knows I'm __stalking__ him!_ My eyes bugged at the thought. _Any moment now, he's going to come behind to tree, strangle me with his bare hands and then throw my body in a place where no one will ever find me. I'll just be Chloe Saunders, the girl who mysteriously vanished without a trace._ I didn't dare breathe for the next few seconds as I shut my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the inevitable.

A few seconds passed...

And a few more.

With my heart bouncing around in my rib cage, I tentatively opened one eye. Derek wasn't looming over me, with his eyes flashing in anger. He wasn't there at all. Stunned, I opened both eyes and peered about. In fact, he wasn't anywhere to be seen. _Uh oh, I lost him._ I thought as I stepped out from behind the tree. I looked in all directions but I couldn't see him anywhere. Hurrying forward, I continued in the direction that Derek was last heading.

As I rounded the corner, I smacked into a solid wall of flesh. Yelping in surprise, I stepped back as I rubbed my face. My eyes traveled up slowly, trying to prolong what was going to happen next. Finally, my eyes met his and I winced. _Déjà vu..._ Derek looked rather pissed off and his eyes reflected his irritation. "G-g-g-good m-morning, D-d-d-derek," I stammered in fear as my teeth clattered against each other.

He glared down at me, his rich green eyes looking at me in fury. It didn't help that he was looming over me as well, making me feel smaller than I already was. "Why the hell are you following me?" Derek demanded in a strained voice that barely concealed his anger.

"I'm s-sorry," I said in a small voice. "I noticed you when you left a few minutes ago and I was worried-"

"-about me?" Derek finished with a cold laugh. "Yeah. _Right_. Like everyone else, you think that I'm a drug dealer and wanted to catch me in the act."

I shook my head desperately. Although I didn't know what good was going to come in the result of telling the truth, but that had to be better than lying. "T-that's not it. I don't believe the rumors of you being a drug dealer," I whispered.

Derek's face flashed with a moment of surprise, like I had thrown him off guard. But then that look vanished in a second. "And why would that be?"

I swallowed thickly. "Because you're smarter than that," I blurted out. "I don't know you very well, but it's obvious that you wouldn't risk your future by doing something stupid like that."

Derek said nothing for a minute as I saw that the anger in his eyes was starting to ebb. Finally he said, "You didn't really answer my question; why are you following me if you don't think I'm up to something shady?"

Embarrassment flooded my cheeks with heat as I tried to figure out a non-creepy way to confess what I was doing. "You're up at the crack of dawn everyday, wouldn't that raise some questions?" I asked in return.

As he opened his mouth to speak, probably retorting with something amongst the lines of "it's none of your business" or "don't answer my question with a question", I quickly hurried on, "So, I wanted to see what was so important that you have to do this ritual everyday at such a hellish hour."

I expected him to be insulted but instead was surprised when he rolled his eyes. "That's what Simon said," he muttered. "But training when no one else is around is better than training with everyone staring at you."

"Training?"

Derek gaze met mine. "For someone your size, you're awfully nosy," he commented as my cheeks filled with heat once more. "Contrary to what everyone thinks, I have a legitimate reason for being up early; I'm on the basketball team, so I have to train or else they're liable to throw me out, which is what they want."

I blinked. _That_ was he reason why he gets up early everyday? It was almost hard to believe. But then again, it was obvious that Derek knew what everyone was saying about him. And so, to avoid their curious gossips, he gets up earlier than anyone else to train. Yet I had followed him out here and barged in when he wanted to get away from everyone's prying eyes. The heavy weight of guilt settled painfully in my stomach.

"I'm sorry," I apologized quietly as his brows furrowed in confusion. "For intruding, when you wanted to be alone."

Derek rubbed his neck with his hand as he avoided my eyes, looking uncomfortable in the turn of events. "As much as I don't like being stalked-" my cheeks flushed red with humiliation. "-I guess curiosity isn't a capital crime. If scientists weren't curious, they would have never made it this far."

I stared at him as his words sunk in. Was that a roundabout way to say that he forgave me? The corners of my mouth twitched in a smile as I realized that Derek's inner Science Guy had revealed himself just now. Derek seemed to realize that too. "Never mind, forget what I said," he muttered quickly, his voice dropping an octave.

I hid a smile as I figured that Derek would probably have thought that I was making fun of him. "I should probably go, let you get back to practice. Er, get started, I mean. Though I probably won't be able to sleep now that I'm up," I murmured.

Derek shrugged as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Again, he looked rather uncomfortable. "If that's what you want, sure. But if you don't have anything else better to do, I don't particularly care if you stick around."

I looked at him in surprise as he caught my gaze and quickly turned, so that his back was now facing me. Although his earlier animosity towards me was scary as hell, he didn't seem like such a bad person. Sure, he is rude, introverted and intimidating, but Derek's not as horrible as everyone made him out to be. That was probably what Simon meant when he said that I needed to be patient with his brother.

I followed after his retreating figure, surprisingly satisfied with the chance that I would be able to get a glimpse of Derek that hardly anyone else had witnessed. We made our way in comfortable silence down to the track and I sat down at the bottom of the steps as Derek dumped his bag on the grass and stepped onto the track. "So, Simon doesn't join you?" I asked curiously as Derek warmed up.

He gave a dismissive snort. "As if he can wake up at such a 'hellish hour' as you said. He's too busy snoring away to bother with practicing in the morning."

I grinned. "I guess that makes him the normal one then."

"Guess so."

Once he finished warming up, Derek stretched. You'd think that it'd be boring sitting here in the dead of the morning watching my roommate workout, but oddly enough, I found it quite interesting that Derek took a lot of care in being careful not to injure himself. He stretched his long limbs carefully, never rushing through his stretching exercises. Once he was satisfied that he was ready, he took off on the track, taking long, powerful strides. He was extremely fit and rather than going for speed, like most people, Derek ran the endurance lap. I watched him as he dropped his guarded features and relaxed as he continued his run. Normally in our room, Derek looked rather restless and stressed, as though he hated being caged inside, but now, that was all gone. Going for a run must help.

Finally as he completed his last lap, he slowed to a walk and sat down, a few feet away from me. Breathing hard, he took off his baggy sweatshirt. I stared. When I first met him nearly a week ago, I would have guessed that Derek was chubby, boarding on being overweight, but seeing him run the laps today definitely wiped that thought out of my mind. He was very muscular for a 17 year old guy. With extremely well-defined biceps and back muscle that would make any quarterback envious and girls swoon. Until they glanced up and saw his face that is. But it's not Derek's fault that he wasn't cover-model gorgeous.

At school, he never seemed to care about what others thought of him. At a point in life, maybe the words did sting, but I guess after a long time, Derek built a subconscious shield around all of that. And because of that, people tended to avoid him, but he preferred being on his own. I cleared my throat. "So, how long have you been doing this everyday?" I asked as he drank out of his water bottle.

"Since last year. When Simon and I enrolled here."

"And have you missed a day?"

"Nope."

"Seriously? Not even once? _Damn_, that's insane."

"You mean 'serious dedication'."

I rolled my eyes. "If that makes you feel better, sure, call it what you want."

A low rumble that sounded like a strangled cough answered me. It took me a moment to realize that Derek was laughing softly at my reply. It was the first time I ever heard him laugh, and oddly enough, a small nameless something went through me. It was a strange feeling, though it wasn't unpleasant.

Derek took out a basketball from his gym bag and started dribbling. Then without any another word, he raced down the track, dribbling as he went. Derek had really good control over the ball as he jogged around the track, switching from hand to hand. Never once did the ball bounce away from him. Once he felt that he was ready, he jogged over to the basketball court, which was a few paces from the track. I watched as Derek went through a series of layups, 3-pointers and everything else I couldn't name. There were a few times that he missed the net, but got it in for the most part. His muscles rippled with every movement, pushing his body to his limits. I watched, fascinated as time seemed to slow when Derek went up for a layup. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and neck as the rising sun shone on his features, lighting a side of his face as he pushed the ball into the net with a hand.

The ball went through the net in a swishing motion as Derek landed back down on his feet, looking victorious and more alive than I had ever seen him. Breathing heavily, he practiced some more, going for shots at different angles and dribbling furiously, swerving imaginary opponents as he finally took his last 3-pointer. He leaped high into the air as his hands shot the ball in the direction of the net. The ball spun quickly before sinking into the net, leaving it untouched.

The ball bounced off the ground and slowed to a stop as Derek went over to retrieve it. Finally, he came over to where I sat and kneeled down, careful to sit a few feet away, where I wouldn't get a whiff of his BO. "Good workout?" I asked conversationally.

"Yeah." Derek took a sip from his water bottle before getting a towel to wipe the sweat off of his face.

"You're really good."

A dismissive grunt. "I mean it," I told him. "You know what you're doing."

Derek hung the towel around his neck as he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "And you have a lot of experience with basketball," he said in a disbelieving tone.

"Well... no. But anyone who's not blind can tell that you're really passionate about the sport."

Derek said nothing as he sat there, his breathing slowing to normal. We sat there in silence as the sweat dried from his skin. Finally, he rose to his feet and dropped everything back into his bag. I stood up as I checked my watch. It had been a few hours since I had followed Derek out here. "I think the cafeteria's open," I said. "Do you want to get breakfast?"

Derek hesitated for a slight moment before shaking his head. "Nah. Need to shower first."

"Oh. Right. Um... I'll see you later then."

Another grunt, which I interpreted as an agreement. We went off in our separate ways but after a few paces, I turned around to look at Derek's hunched retreating figure, with his gym bag hanging off of one shoulder. _He's really dedicated to everything he's passionate about. So why can't people see his true self? _

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><p><strong>AN: Voilà! Hope you guys like it! I'm sorry that it's so short and I seriously wanted to put more, but here, it seemed like a good place to end. I'm so worried that Derek here is out of character, so please, let me know what you think! Anyway, please look forward to my next chapter!**


	5. The Power of Sodium Bicarbonate

**A/N: Hi guys! I apologize that I haven't updated for two weeks! I felt really bad about it, especially after the warm response that I received for the previous chapter (and I thank you all for that!), but the past two weeks have been extremely busy. Midterms and everything. Ick. But to make up for that, I lengthened my chapter by another two pages (on openoffice). Hope you will like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 5: The Power of Sodium Bicarbonate<strong>

After a satisfying breakfast that consisted of blueberry pancakes and sausages, I returned to the room that Derek and I shared. As I entered, I expected Derek to be in the room, but again, the room was empty. _Somethings never change._ I grabbed my school uniform, which hung freely from a coat hanger and slipped into the bathroom to change. In the bathroom, the scent of Irish Spring soap lingered in the air after Derek's shower. It was a pleasant smell; it reminded me of a forest. I changed out of my hoodie and into my uniform before grabbing my bag and heading back to the school.

As I approached my locker, I was surprised to see that someone was already there. It was Nate. "Hi Chloe."

"Good morning, Nate," I replied warily.

It had been a few days since our disagreement in the cafeteria and we haven't spoken since then. I felt his lingering gaze a few times during drama, but he would always glance away before our eyes met. Before, we used to chat often in class, but ever since the argument, I missed his friendly charming self. I wanted to get over this stupid disagreement and go back to being friends, but I couldn't until one of us talked to the other. It seemed that he was the first to approach me.

Nate shoved his hands into his pockets as he shifted his weight from one foot to another, looking uncomfortable with what he was going to say next. "About the other day-" he began.

"-You mean when you dissed my roommate?" I cut in, raising an eyebrow.

Nate flinched visibly at my words and I felt a pang of regret at the harshness in my voice. "Yeah. About that... I wanted to apologize for what I said about Derek," he murmured softly as his unwavering gaze met mine.

Surprised by his words, I looked straight into them and saw that they were full of remorse. My heart softened. "You see, Derek and I are teammates in basketball, but we usually don't get along. As the team captain, I let that fact get to me and got angry when you mentioned him the other day," Nate explained. "I know that that's not an excuse and that I should try harder to understand my teammate, but I wanted to apologize to you first."

I said nothing as I watched him, my determination to stay angry at him fading slowly with the passing second. I could see that Nate genuinely did feel bad for bad-mouthing Derek and wanted a chance to be forgiven. "I spent the past few days being miserable until I decided that I couldn't get over it until I talked to you. If that's okay with you, I want us to be friends again," Nate added as he studied my reaction.

I let him squirm for a bit as I pretended to think it over. Finally, I gave him a small smile. "I'd like that too, Nate."

His eyebrows rose as my answer sunk in. "Really? You accept my apology?" he asked, a fragile hope lingering in his voice.

I nodded. "Yeah, I forgive you," I told him and a smile blossomed on his face.

Nate became visibly happier as his smile grew to full force, flashing me with his dazzling, straight teeth. Before I could react, Nate wrapped his arms tightly around me, pulling me into an embrace. My eyes widened in surprise as I inhaled the scent of peppermint that lingered on his uniform. "Thanks, Chloe," he murmured softly in my ear as he finally released me.

"I gotta go, but I'll see you around," Nate added as he gave me another smile before leaving.

I stood there with a stunned expression frozen on my face as I watched his retreating figure disappear down the hall. A slow blush crept up my cheeks as the situation sunk in. _Nate just hugged me!_ I stood there, rooted to the floor, until I realized that the people around me were staring and whisperly indiscreetly about me. Blinking madly, I turned so that my back faced them as I got out my art supplies from my locker.

Once the bell rung, the student body slowly disappeared to their classes, myself included. This time, we had to do a live sketch, with a volunteer sitting on a chair in the middle. "So apparently we graduated from fruit to people," I murmured to Simon as I glanced at Nick, the unfortunate victim of my rough sketch.

Simon chuckled softly. "Like I said on your first day; there's no originality from Lavulture."

I sighed as I erased some of the figure lines from my canvas. "So, how are things between you and Derek?" he asked.

"They're getting better. I watched him train this morning."

Simon jerked so quickly that his pencil flew across the paper, leaving a very ugly streak of lead. He swore as he erased the marking before turning to give me a look of disbelief. "Wait. What? He let you watch?"

I nodded as the embarrassing events from earlier came to my mind. "Um yeah. After I kinda f-followed him out of curiosity," I admitted quietly as I kept my focus on drawing Nick's nose.

Simon cracked up. Loudly, to add. I madly motioned for him to be quiet as Madame Lafontaine sent a death glare in our direction. Fortunately, she didn't come any closer and went back to inspecting the other students' work. Simon's laughter turned into a muffled snicker as he wiped his teary eyes. "It's not that funny!" I snapped quietly as I peeked at him through the corner of my eye.

He coughed once to get rid of his laughter, however traces of it still remained. "Chloe, you sure have guts. Most people wouldn't dare follow him since they're afraid of being caught," he said as his brows furrowed in confusion. "But you said that he let you watch..."

I nodded again as my cheeks flushed with humiliation. "I got caught by Derek," I told him.

Simon's eyes danced with amusement as he tried to hide a smile. He almost succeeded. "Oh man. I bet he totally chewed you out, didn't he? I almost wish that I was a fly on the wall when that happened," he said with a sympathetic smile. "But that's kind of different of Derek to let you watch him."

I shrugged. "It wasn't like I was going to be able to sleep after getting up. So Derek said that he didn't 'particularly care' if I stuck around," I replied. "His words, not mine."

"Huh."

I looked at him quizzically, but his expression was unreadable. Finally, I shrugged it off and resumed my sketch. At the end of the class, Madame Lafontaine reminded us that our themed project was due next class. I grimaced. I didn't know what I was going to use for the theme. As a result, I had procrastinated until now. _Opening up a path?_ Sighing, I headed off to my next class.

After lunch, I met up with Tori and Liz at my locker. "So," Tori said to me. "Spill."

"Spill what?"

Tori gave me a dismissive look. "I saw you this morning after Nate hugged you. Not to mention the rumors spreading through the school like hay fire.."

Memories of earlier came floating back into my mind and a small goofy smile crept onto my face. "I'm guessing that you guys made up?" Tori asked with a raised eyebrow.

I nodded. "He said that he didn't want to fight and feels bad for what he said about Derek," I explained.

Liz smiled. "Well, I admit it that it was strange seeing Nate get riled up the way he was last week. He's usually a pretty chill guy," she added.

A loud commotion erupted behind us and we turned to see what was the matter. Tori scowled, her face darkening. "Speaking of Nate..." she trailed off as a girl I haven't seen before walked through the hallway.

She walked with an air of gracefulness as she shone from a group of girls following after her soundlessly. She had long flowing red hair that gleamed brightly underneath the school's lights. Another thing I noticed is that the way she wore her uniform said clearly that she was confident and bold; not caring about what others thought of her. Everyone stopped to look as she made her grand entrance. The guys especially had only eyes for her. Some girls looked at her enviously with others looked at her with loathing, like the way Tori did. "Who's that?" I whispered as this girl suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway before catching my eye.

"That's Melinda Fawkes," Liz whispered back urgently. "The most popular girl in school."

Melinda turned and walked towards me. I froze. Up close, she was stunningly beautiful. Her makeup was professionally applied and everything about her was proper and screamed of money. She turned her icy blue eyes onto me. "You must be the new girl," she stated.

I nodded, suddenly mute. Luckily, Tori wasn't. "Hello _Melinda_," Tori greeted icily. "Did you have a good time in Paris?"

Melinda's lips formed a winter cold smile as she turned to Tori. "Unlike some people who were unfortunate enough to remain in Oakridge for the summer, I had a _fantastique_ time in Paris," she replied as her voice took on a mocking lilt. "I heard that you were a _volunteer_ for a computer geek summer camp."

"Unlike a certain someone, I actually learned something useful," Tori snapped while Liz looked worriedly between the two.

Melinda ignored her while she turned her attention back to me. I swallowed thickly. She gave me a disdainful once-over and smirked. "Are you sure you're in the right place? You must have made a wrong turn because this isn't an elementary school," she commented loud enough for the rest of the student population to overhear.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger. Yes, I didn't have much in terms of a curvy figure but Aunt Lauren, who is a doctor, said that stuff like that would come with time. However, when I looked at Melinda, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. She had a body to kill for; her body curved generously in all the right places. She wore her Gen-Ed uniform with an air of sexiness; the top few buttons were unbuttoned to show off her impressive cleavage while her shortened skirt revealed her lean, long legs. That had to be a violation of school rules. No wonder all the guys stop and stared at her.

But I waved my envy aside. Who was she to embarrass me out in the open? I didn't even know her. There was no way that I was going to back down. "What about you? Are _you _in the right place? The whorehouse shouldn't be too far away, you know?" I countered, my anger filling my voice.

Tori's eyebrows rose to her hairline. Liz stared at me, wide-eyed with shock as Melinda absorbed my reply, evidently surprised at my answer. "Not bad; you have some guts," she said finally as her lip curled. "But that's probably due to not knowing how things run around here. You'll learn soon enough. While I'm at it, I want warn you, little girl. Stay away from Nate. He's _my_ boyfriend-"

"-Ex-boyfriend," Tori cut in with a roll of her eyes.

Melinda spun on her. "No relationship is over until _I _say it is, _Victoria,_" she snarled as she turned back to me. "I've heard the rumors about you and Nate. How a newbie like you is already chasing after a guy like Nate. As if he'll ever see you anything more than a child."

She gave me a pointed look at my chest. I gritted my teeth as I seethed in anger. "Just because I don't go spilling half of my assets for the whole to see doesn't mean that I'm a child. And I really think it's up to Nate to decide who he'd want to date," I replied coolly, keeping my anger in check.

Melinda smirked. "Very well then; I accept your challenge. But there's no doubt who'll be the winner of this," she said, a confident gleam in her eye. "That'll be me, of course. _Toodles_."

With a flutter of her fingers, Melinda rejoined her friends and sauntered back down the hallway as though it was a catwalk.

"Wow, I never knew you had that type of spunk in you," Tori commented after Melinda left.

The adrenaline flow slowed as the situation sunk in. I groaned. "Oh my god, just _what_ did I get myself into?"

"You just challenged Lyle Academy's Princess, that's for sure," Tori replied as she rolled her eyes. "There's one in every school."

I frowned as I looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Her parents are loaded with money. On top of that, they pay a heck lot of money into a private donation to the school. So, in other words, what Melinda wants, she gets. You'd seriously think the school would let her walk around like that if that wasn't the case?"

I sighed. "And I just challenged her. I got caught up in the moment and when she kept throwing barbs at me, I just had to fire some back," I explained as my shoulders slumped in defeat.

Now that the situation passed, Melinda was going to chew me up and spit me out like an used piece of gum. I haven't even been at Lyle Academy for a month and I was going to be eaten by one of the school's top social leaders. I grimaced at the thought. Liz patted my shoulder as she gave me a sympathetic smile. "You can do this, you know," she said encouraging. "Nate and Melinda broke up before the summer, although it's obvious that Melinda hasn't caught up with the news yet."

"I see."

"Just play it to your strengths; You're a sweet, pretty and smart girl. You'll win Nate's favor by being just you. Melinda won't win this," Liz added.

I looked from Liz to Tori as I frowned in confusion. "I thought you guys said that I shouldn't be liking Nate as more than a friend," I reminded them.

Tori rolled her eyes again. "A little too late for that isn't it? I saw you this morning after the hug he gave you. You practically floated down the hall with glee."

Heat crept up my cheeks as I remembered his strong muscular arms around me, holding me tightly. "Although he's charming, cute and nice, I can't fall for him. Isn't he a playboy? "

Liz shrugged. "Maybe he decided to change," she murmured softly. "If you do like him, Chloe, then we'll do our best to support you. After all, isn't that what friends do?"

Tori smirked. "Besides, can you imagine the look on Melinda's face when Nate chooses you over her? Ha! That wouldn't be something you'd see everyday," she snorted.

Liz sent her a disapproving look. "Chloe should like Nate only if she wants to, not just because of a stupid challenge, Tori," she chastised her.

Tori exhaled loudly. "Fine fine, I'm just saying that it'd totally be worth it to see Melinda eat her words," she said before turning to me. "Nate wouldn't be my first choice of a boyfriend for you, considering the long lineup of past girlfriends he's had before and after Melinda, but hey, it's your choice in who you want to like."

"I thought you were going to say something amongst the lines of 'hey, it's your funeral'," I said to Tori with a small smile.

She returned my smile. "Yeah, I thought of saying that, but it's so cliché that it just isn't my style," she replied.

I laughed, feeling slightly better as the three of us headed towards our next class together.

At the end of the day, I swung by the chemistry lab, as my chemistry teacher had previously told me that I had to make up for a missed lab that had taken place before I transferred. I sighed tiredly as the door swung closed behind me, the voices and laughter of the other students fading behind me.

I put my bags into the cubby hole as I got out my chemistry lab manual and tied my hair back into a ponytail. As I turned, I noticed that a few materials had been laid out on the work bench, ready for me. Mr. Anderson, my chemistry teacher, had told me that he had a faculty meeting to attend, so he wouldn't be here. However, he also said that there was a lab assistant that I could ask if I had any questions.

I opened up my manual to the page that was assigned for the lab. The page read 'Acids and Bases Titration'. I did a quick read as I followed the procedures for the set up. It involved pipettes, burettes and other chemistry equipment. Sighing again, I got to work, following each step carefully as I primed the burette with the base and filled it up. Then I pipetted 10 mL of hydrochloric acid into the erlenmeyer flask, which took several tries to get it right. Sometimes, I absorbed too much and other times, it was too little. When I finally got approximately the right amount, I was exhausted and ready for the lab to be over and done with.

As I turned to place the erlenmeyer flask under the burette containing the base, my hand knocked the bottle of hydrochloric acid, spilling its contents onto the floor. I cursed loudly as I watched the liquid contents drip from the table onto the floor. Even worse was that it was now busy fizzing and bubbling on the floor. "Oh crap, crap crap!" my voice rose as I panicked. "What do I do?"

My eyes turned back to the container of sodium hydroxide base that sat unharmed on the table top. Should I pour some base onto the acid and hopefully get them to neutralize? "Don't even think about it," a deep rumble said behind me.

My heart thudded heavily against my rib cage as I gave a small yelp of surprise and spun to face the owner of the voice. I blinked as my mind registered that I was staring at a pair of intense yet beautiful emerald green eyes. "D-derek?"

It was a stupid question, but I could be forgiven for my lack of sense at the moment. I didn't expect him here of all places. "W-what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Mr. Anderson asked me to look out for you if you needed help; I'm the lab assistant," Derek mumbled as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

My mouth stupidly formed the shape of an 'O' as his answer sunk in. It kind of made sense; Derek was a genius in the sciences, so it wasn't a complete surprise that he was also the lab assistant. I pushed that extra information aside as I returned to my situation with the bubbling HCl on the floor. "What do you mean?" I asked as confusion set in. "Doesn't sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid neutralize each other?"

Derek rolled his eyes as he brushed past me and grabbed the container of sodium hydroxide base and turned it so that the front of the bottle faced me. "What does it say on the label?" he asked slowly, as if I was a small child, incapable of understanding.

"Unknown concentration NaOH," I replied as I crossed my arms. "So?"

He sighed as he set the container back onto the work bench. "We don't know the concentration of the base. _So, _it wouldn't be a good idea to pour an unknown concentration of sodium hydroxide onto the spilled acid. You could end up having a bigger problem than the one now. Besides, you don't know how much acid you spilt," he explained.

"_Okay... _so what do we do then?"

"Wait here," Derek mumbled as he headed to the back chemical room.

A few moments later, he returned with a red and white bottle. "What's that?" I asked curiously as I wondered how that would help.

"Baking soda."

I looked at him in confusion. "'_Baking soda_'?" I repeated slowly, sure that I misheard him.

He sighed again and didn't bother to confirm my question. "You might want to stand back before I pour this," Derek murmured as he was positioned to pour baking soda over the acid spill.

Immediately, I scuffled backwards so that I was now at least a meter from the spill site. Derek turned around to face me and the corner of his mouth twitched, as though fighting off a smile. "You don't need to stand that far. Might as well see what's going to happen," he said, sounding almost amused by my tactics.

"Right," I mumbled as my cheeks burned in embarrassment.

I stood beside Derek as he poured the white powder gradually over the acid spill. It reacted immediately. "The addition of sodium bicarbonate, otherwise known as baking soda, with hydrochloric acid produces sodium chloride, water and carbon dioxide," he explained as the acid's fizzing slowed. "Carbon dioxide leaves as a gas and the reaction becomes neutralized. Also, as most neutralization reactions are, the reaction is exothermic, meaning that it gives off heat."

I nodded quickly as I absorbed the information. We stood there for another few seconds before the fizzing finally stopped completely and we were staring down at a clump of powdery material. Derek wordlessly left the spill site as he went into a darkened classroom and brought the waste bucket, gloves and a sponge. He bent down and cleaned the area with a sponge before dumping the contents into the waste bucket. "And that's how you clean up an acid spill," he finished, sounding rather proud of himself.

A sudden thought occurred to me. "Before, you mentioned that you could have added too much base to the spilled acid, so that would create a bigger problem," I said as Derek nodded. "So, how do you know how much baking soda to add?"

A small smile crept onto Derek's face as he seemed oddly pleased with my question. "Adding sodium bicarbonate not only moderates the temperature of the exothermic reaction, but it also keeps the volume to a minimum. Also, sodium bicarbonate is a neutralizing agent that has a visible endpoint, which is when the carbon dioxide gas was being given off. So, once the gas slows and finally stops, you know you've added enough," he explained as he nodded towards the waste bucket that now contained the sodium chloride salt.

"That's actually kind of cool," I admitted as I thought about the reaction. "Thanks for your help, Derek. I guess I should get back to my lab."

"Only that you spilled the last bottle of hydrochloric acid," said Derek as he nodded to the empty bottle.

I groaned. "Are you serious? After I got everything set up?" I complained.

Derek shrugged. "I can make a new batch, but my time is up for today," he said as he glanced at the clock. "I'll do that tomorrow during lunch."

I sighed in defeat as I realized that I would have to come back tomorrow to finish the lab. "Do you work everyday?" I asked as I started to clean up the apparatus.

"Yeah, though usually after school."

"Why do you have to do it tomorrow at lunch?"

"I have basketball practice tomorrow after school. Coach is going to separate us into first string and second string, so I won't have time to work," Derek explained as he shrugged off his gloves and washed his hands with soap.

"Oh I see. So, I guess you'll be doing your insane workout tomorrow morning as well," I said.

A short laugh. "Wouldn't think of a better way to start a day and open up to new possibilities," he replied.

I froze. _'Open up to new possibilities' _repeated in my head as something suddenly clicked. "Hey!" I suddenly cried out as Derek jerked in surprise, water splashing the both of us.

"What?" he asked sharply, obviously startled.

"I have an art project that's due the day after tomorrow and the theme is 'opening up a path'. Would you mind if I come to watch tomorrow morning? And if I sketched you?" I asked as I looked up at him eagerly, praying that he'd say yes.

Derek hesitated for a moment as he thought it over. Finally he nodded and a grin grew on my face. "Thanks so much!" I said happily as I smiled up at him.

Derek blinked down at me as an unreadable expression flickered for a moment. Before I could interpret his look, it vanished. "You're welcome," he mumbled finally.

"Alright. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Want to go get something to eat in the caf?" I asked.

Derek grunted in response and I took that as a yes. I grabbed my stuff and headed towards the cafeteria with Derek.

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><p><strong>AN: Haha, hoped you enjoyed the mini chemistry lesson there. I quite enjoyed chemistry in high school and couldn't help inserting that in since Derek's a genius in the sciences. Might as well let Derek show off a bit. Hehe. I promise that the next chapter will have something quite interesting involving Derek and Chloe, so I hope you will look forward to the next chapter!**

**I wanted to take some time and thank everyone who has reviewed at least once (in no particular order):**

**SweetDreamzz3116, not-so-innocent011, Percy's sweetheart, Boredsowritting01, lbjw0128, TotalBookNerd, suzi181, elizi02, hawaiiangr, murrey-2012, iloveiggy, KakiTenshi, Rayne The Hanyou, moon-called-princess, Epic-Panda24, Taste the Rainbow- Or Else, Bleeding Hearts98, RustyBay, Chlerek, bookluver17, piercingemeralds2, jenaca, 22 random ninja 2, Mardelzor, Call Me Bitter  
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**And my anonymous people:**

**Nocturnalnobody18, cheesehead, YOU'RE THE BEST AUTHOR EVER, Lena,**

****And a big thanks to: **piercingemeralds2** for listening to my incessant string of babbles. :D****

**... Now back to studying for my chemistry midterm :( ... wish me luck!  
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	6. She Shoots, She Scores!

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your warm reviews on the last chapter. I'm glad that you liked it! I was highly amused to find that most of the reviews were either on: 'Not Nate! Anything BUT Nate! (Preferably Derek of course!)', 'Melinda is such a bitch! GO CHLOE!' or 'Derek! (insert swoon)' hahahaha. I agree with you all. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter (I was still writing/editing this at 1am).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP!  
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><p><strong>Chapter 6: She shoots, she scores!<strong>

The cafeteria was nearly empty as it was too late for lunch but still too early for dinner. There were only a handful of students lingering in the area, either just chilling or getting some work done while chowing down on food. After getting our food from the cafeteria ladies, I looked for a good place to sit. As Derek stood next to me, I felt the eyes of the other students focusing on the two of us. Some curious while others looked wary. I felt uncomfortable being in the spotlight, but as I snuck a glance at Derek, his expression told me that he was used to this and didn't care. However, I still wanted to get out of their attention. "Let's sit over there," I said nodding to an empty table in the far corner, away from everyone else.

Derek said nothing as he followed me to the selected table. As we sat down, I did a double take at the amount of food that Derek had piled onto his tray. "You sure you can eat all of that?" I asked as I stared at Derek's plate of food that was fit for an army.

"Just watch me."

And watch him I did. At the rate that he was inhaling his spaghetti, you'd think that the guy had not seen food for days. I knew guys had a big stomach, but Derek definitely exceeded that limit. While I had chosen a small plate of lasagna and a slice of chocolate cake for myself, Derek had chosen a large plate of spaghetti and meatballs with a cesar salad, tomato soup with french bread, some fruit _and_ a slice of lemon meringue pie. As we ate, there wasn't much conversation between us. Derek was too busy shoveling food down his throat to strike one up and I felt that it would have been rude to disturb him. Once he slowed, most of his food was gone, with the exception of his tomato soup. "So, what is it like being a lab assistant?" I asked, starting up a conversation.

Derek shrugged. "It's pretty good. I set up lab stuff for the teachers and I make the chemicals," he said as he tore his french bread into pieces and mixed them into his soup.

"What made you decide to take it up in the first place?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Is this like an interrogation?" he asked, sounded slightly amused.

I shrugged. "I'm just wondering. You don't have to answer if you don't want to," I replied non-chalantly.

Derek took a sip of his soup before he answered. "I thought that it'd be interesting. Besides, it'd be a step closer to my college plans, both experience and money wise."

"So you are going into the science faculty then," I stated. "What part of it?"

"Astronomy."

I looked at him in surprise. "Oh wow. Would you be the astronaut or the researcher?" I asked curiously as I ate the remains of my dinner.

Another shrug. "Haven't quite gotten that far yet," he murmured as he finished off his soup. "I'll think about it more when I get closer to entering college."

I nodded as what he said made sense. I've always wanted to be a screenwriter ever since I was a kid but when I had asked my friends, a lot of them said that they were still undecided when it came to their future career.

I pushed my empty plate to the side, feeling very full and somewhat tired after the long day. As I did so, I saw that Derek kept eyeing my slice of chocolate cake. "Do you want it?" I offered. "I'm full already."

Without a moment's hesitation, Derek nodded and I slid the plate across the table. Without another word, he dug in, taking massive bites. I hid a smile as I watched him polish off the plate a few moments later. "Being an athlete must be energy draining," I commented.

"Sometimes. But it's worth it for the most part," Derek replied as he drank his glass of milk.

"'The most part'?" I repeated.

"It's worth it as long as you have a solid team," he clarified.

_Speaking of a solid team... I wonder how Derek feels about Nate?_ "You were on the team last year too, right?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Were you in the second string or the first string then?"

"First string," Derek replied.

"Oh okay. Anyone else I know who was on the first string?" I asked carefully, although I already knew that Nate was on the team as captain.

"A senior who graduated, a sophomore, my brother... and Nate Bozian," Derek said as his voice hitched upon mentioning Nate.

"I've heard people were saying that Nate was last year's captain," I lied.

A dark look passed Derek's face. "Yeah."

I frowned. "You don't seem to have a high opinion of him," I stated.

A grunt as he piled his empty dishes on top of his tray. "We should head back," Derek said gruffly as he stood up and headed over to the counter to dispose of them.

I watched Derek's retreating figure as I followed after him, after putting my dishes away as well.

The walk back to the dorm was a silent one. I snuck a glance at Derek's hulking figure as we made our way back to our room. It seemed that Nate's feelings for Derek were mutual. But why? I wanted to ask, but that would have been rude. Derek obviously didn't want to talk about it. I could have asked Nate, but it seemed right that I would ask Derek first, considering that we were room mates and that we should understand each other. Maybe with time, I'll find out the reason why.

The next morning was a killer. I groaned as my alarm clock went off next to my ear. I was tempted to pitch it out of the window and spend the next few hours like normal people and sleep, but I had an assignment to do. Groaning again, I made myself sit up as I tried to blink myself awake. Looking sleepily around the room, I saw that Derek was already up. "Damn you and your unholy schedule," I muttered as Derek rolled his eyes.

"It's not my fault that you decided to procrastinate and leave your art project to the last minute," he reminded me.

I scowled at him as I swung my legs out of bed and rubbed my face with both hands. "Like you've never procrastinated."

"Nope. Never done it."

I gave him a look of disgust as I threw my pillow at him. He dodged it easily. "While you're in the process of waking up, I should tell you that you have bed hair," Derek added as he folded his sleep wear.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed in defeat as I headed sluggishly off to the bathroom to wake up.

Twenty minutes later, I yawned as I followed Derek to the sports field. "I still can't believe you get up at the crack of dawn to work up a sweat," I muttered crossly as Derek stretched out his limbs.

"If you're going to complain, then find a different subject for your project."

I sighed again as I shut my mouth and got out my art supplies. Once Derek was done stretching, he ran a few more laps around the track field as a warm up. I laid out my sketching pencils next to me as I wondered which of Derek's poses I would use for my sketch. Him running? Dribbling? Stretching? I frowned as the number of possibilities came up. I laid my sketching pad on my lap with a pencil in hand as I decided to watch Derek until an idea popped into my head.

After Derek finished sprinting, he slowed to a jog before taking a quick breather. He frowned as he looked down at my empty sketch pad. "You haven't done anything," he said in an accusing tone as he drank out of his water bottle.

I shrugged. "I'm waiting for you to do something cool," I said with a small smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Just keep waiting," he replied as he placed his water bottle back into his bag and brought out a skipping rope.

Derek skipped slowly at first before gaining momentum and before long, I couldn't even see the rope. I could, however, hear the whipping of the air as the rope swung faster and faster. Derek's feet seemed to barely touch the floor as he continued his speed skipping. Beads of sweat formed on his head as he skipped for another few minutes.

Finally, after he was satisfied that he had indeed warmed up, Derek dropped the rope back into the bag and took out his basketball. He started off with some minor dribbling skills such as speed dribbling and swerving imaginary opponents before doing the shots.

Here, I watched him attentively, since it was only going to get better. Derek breathed heavily as he went through a series of shots. A few of them hit the rim and failed to fall through the net, but most of them did. As he went for a three pointer, I could see immediately that it was bound to be a perfect shot. I could also see it on Derek's face that he knew it as well. Mentally, I captured a photo of the moment that Derek seemed frozen in time as he shot the ball forward. His long, muscular arms hung diagonally in front of him, one arm in the position of shooting the ball whereas the other supported that arm. I watched as the ball spun quickly and fell through the net without touching either the rim or the material itself.

Derek landed on his feet as sweat rolled down his face, looking exhausted but very much alive. He jogged over to the ball and continued to do a few more shots. Immediately, I knew that I was going to use that previous shot for my sketch. I replayed that moment over and over again like a video clip as I sketched out the shape of Derek's body in midair the moment he shot the three pointer.

My pencil moved swiftly across the paper as I drew out the the rough background. A sun slowly rising over the tree tops that casted shadows across the sports field. A lone basketball net waiting to be used. And a boy in the middle of it all. I continued to sketch quickly, putting the image from my head onto paper. Slowly, the sketch filled up with details such as the muscles that showed through Derek's t-shirt when he made that shot or the shadows that danced beneath him. Nothing else appealed to me as my mind was only focused on making my sketch as close as I could get it to the real thing. Finally, as my hand slowed, I realized that Derek had finished his practice. I laid down my pencil as he came over and joined me, though still a few meters away.

"Let's see how much you've done," he murmured as I handed him my sketch.

Derek studied my picture thoroughly as he took in the detail. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke. "Is that really me?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

I nodded as I began to feel slightly self-conscious of my drawing. "I did as best as I could. What do you think?" I asked quietly, almost fearing that he would say that it looked nothing like him.

He didn't reply right away as he looked at my sketch again. The seconds passed as I waited anxiously for his answer. Did he think that I had a bad image of him? I swallowed tightly at the thought. I drew him as I saw him; a strong, determined individual who was passionate about the things he loved. What if he didn't like it?

A few more seconds passed as he lowered my sketch. "It's good," he said finally as I exhaled in relief, not even knowing that I had been holding my breath.

A smile began to form on my face. "You think so?" I asked timidly.

Derek nodded. "Yeah. It looks good, Chloe," he commented as he handed me back my sketch.

I grinned. I couldn't help it; I was delighted that he approved of my sketch. Derek rose to his feet as he lifted his bag onto his shoulder. As I was about to do the same, something stopped me. I blinked as I processed his words again. _Did he say what I think he said?_I thought to myself in wonder as I stared at him. Derek caught my expression and frowned. "What?" he asked in confusion.

I blinked as I stared at him for a few seconds more. "You... you called me by my name," I said in awe.

Derek gave me a weird look at that. "I've called you before," he said as he crossed his arms.

I shook my head. "Yeah, by 'you' or some other equivalent. But it's the first time you've actually used _my_ name."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm starving; let's get something to eat."

I watched his retreating back for a moment before I raced forward to join him, a delighted feeling zipping through me when I did so.

The rest of the day went smoothly, though I was dismayed at the fact that despite being in Gen-Ed, Melinda was in quite a number of my classes. However, as I braced myself for an attack of some sort, she only gave me a model-worthy, yet icy smile before ignoring my presence for the rest of the day. As odd as her intentions were, I decided that I could live with it if she decided to ignore me for the rest of my high school life.

After school, I headed back to the chemistry lab to continue where I had left off yesterday. Mr. Anderson told me that Derek had already explained what had happened yesterday and that he was glad that nothing serious had taken place. After giving me some more instructions to be careful, I went to my lab bench and found that, like yesterday, everything was already laid out. A new bottle of hydrochloric acid sat on the counter with a small sticky note taped to the bottle. Surprised, I lifted the sticky note off the bottle. It read:

_Don't screw it up this time._

_-D_

I rolled my eyes as an amused smile crept onto my face. "As if I'll screw up again," I murmured softly as I pocketed his note and got to work.

Luckily, this time, I got through the lab without too much problem. Nothing spilled this time, which was a relief, although I knew how to handle it this time if there had been any. I finished off my lab report sheet and handed it to Mr. Anderson before grabbing my stuff and left the school. As I rounded a corner close to the back of the gym, I couldn't help but overhear an angry tone of voice. Alarmed, I ducked behind the corner and peered out. To my surprise, there were three guys who were talking to Derek.

"Why the hell are you in the first string?" the middle guy asked in a harsh tone.

The other two echoed his feelings, though not as angry as the one in the middle, who was obviously the leader. "You probably think you're something special; getting the coach's attention for two years in a row," the leader said sharply as he threw a basketball away from him in disgust.

The basketball rolled over in my direction and stopped when it hit my foot. Frozen in place, I watched as Derek gave them a look that said that they were wasting his time. "If you have a problem with the string selection, go talk to the coach," he pointed out impatiently. "But if I were you, I'd sharpen my skills first before getting him to change his mind. With your abilities, I'm surprised that you are still on the team."

I gasped as Derek turned his back on them and headed back in the direction of the dorm. _Talk about adding salt to the wound!_ I watched as the one who was insulted clenched his fist in anger. "Don't turn your back on me, you son of a bitch!" he shouted as he rushed forward with the motion of punching Derek.

In that moment, my heart pounded heavily against my chest, telling me that I had to do something or else there would be a fight, with Derek most likely getting into trouble. Frantically, I looked around for someone or something to help when my eyes rested on the basketball that rested against my foot. Without thinking of whether I could do it or not, I swung my foot backwards and kicked the ball as hard as I could.

Unfortunately, a basketball was a lot harder to kick than a soccer ball, but the effect was still the same. The ball flew through the air without fail. As I sprinted forward towards Derek, I heard a cry of pain as the ball hit its target. The leader's groin, to be precise. Derek spun at the sound as the guy double over, yelling out in pain. His two friends were caught off guard as their leader laid on the ground, groaning and holding the sensitive spot.

Immediately, I grabbed Derek's wrist, which caused him to look at me in astonishment. I tugged him forward and he understood. We ran off as the leader tried to recover and yelled for his friends to chase after us. Sprinting away from the gym, we could hear sounds of the two goonies following after us. "In here," Derek muttered as he led me behind the dumpster.

I ducked behind the object and Derek followed after. I held my breath as the sounds of fast footsteps approached our position. _Please don't let them find us!_ I thought, feeling the rise of panic. Derek crouched next to me and I smelled a hint of the foresty deodorant that he used. As he spoke, his breath warmed my neck. "It'll be okay," he reassured me.

I nodded as I fought to keep the panic down. After what seemed like minutes instead of seconds, the footsteps went past our location, never slowing. A few more minutes passed before Derek rose slowly. "I think the coast is clear," he said as he scanned the area.

I stood up and blinked as I saw that he was staring down at me. A small blush crept across my cheeks. "W-what is it?" I asked, my voice hushed.

Derek's gaze dropped to my hand... which happened to be still holding his. I let go as though I was burnt. "S-sorry!" I squeaked as my face warmed in embarrassment.

Derek said nothing as he continued to look at me with an unreadable expression. I averted my gaze as I studied a crawling ant as though it was the most fascinating creature that I had ever seen. "That was a sweet shot," he said finally.

I looked up at him in confusion before realizing that he was talking about my earlier move with the basketball. I managed a shaky smile as I basked in the compliment. "Thanks, I wasn't sure that I would be able to do it," I admitted.

Derek said nothing as he shoved his hands into his pockets and seemed to do some thorough thinking. Before I could wonder why he was acting this way, he spoke so quietly that I wasn't sure that I had heard him correctly. "Thanks."

I blinked up at him. "... for getting me out of the situation, I guess."

It took me a moment for the words to sink in. When they did, I smiled at him. To my surprise, he smiled back.

"You're welcome, roomie."

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><p><strong>DN: It's now 2am. Sleepy. I hope the chapter was okay for you guys. I'm so happy midterms are (for the most part with the exception of a second part to the first one) over. And halloween is coming up too! I love decorations and the theme! Unfortunately, I'm too old to go trick-or-treating. Anyway, hope you guys have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! And look forward to my next chapter! :D**


	7. The First Move

**A/N: Hi everyone! First of all, I apologize for the delay in my update! I had originally planned for this to be released last week, but it's been crazy busy with all of my assignments and midterms for school. On a good note, the midterms are done and I'm satisfied with my results. However, just an advanced warning, the first two weeks in December are going to be crazy busy again with finals, so I might not be able to update then. But I'll most likely update with another chapter before that time comes. Secondly, I am blown at the warm results of the last chapter! You guys are so amazing! (Haha, you guys guilt-tripped me into sitting on my butt and work on this chapter instead of putting it off for another few days) Thanks so much! Anyway, enjoy!  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 7: The First Move<strong>

I woke up to the sound of running water that came from the bathroom that Derek and I shared. Peeking at the clock with one eye, my sleep-disoriented mind told me that there was still an hour before class started. Blinking tiredly, I sat up and yawned as the scent of Irish Spring soap wafted through the air. I smiled. _Derek probably just came back from his morning workout_. I thought sleepily as I stretched out my limbs and groaned at the feeling. Tossing my covers to the side, I got out of bed and ran a hand through my sleep-disheveled hair.

After spending a few weeks rooming with Derek, I had gotten used to his daily schedule. After his crazy practice in the mornings, he would spend the next ten minutes in the shower before prepping for school. Once that was finished, he would then head off to breakfast. Recently, we would head off to breakfast together, which I liked. Taking advantage of Derek's absence, I quickly changed out of my sleep wear and into my school clothes. Just as I was buttoning up my blazer, I heard the shower taps creak as Derek shut off the water supply. I finished up _my_ daily morning schedule, which consisted of throwing my stuff together and tidying up my side of the room. The bathroom door opened behind me as Derek stepped out, towel-drying his hair, causing droplets of water to drip on the floor. He was already dressed in his uniform with the exception of his emerald green blazer that was folded neatly on his already-made bed.

I smiled at him as he made his way back into the room. "Good morning, Derek," I greeted.

"Mornin'," Derek's low voice rumbled.

"Breakfast in ten?" I asked as I crept towards the bathroom.

A grunt, which I assumed was a 'yes'. I rolled my eyes at him in mock-exasperation as I shut the bathroom door behind me.

Ten minutes later, Derek shut the door behind us, which clicked as the door locked automatically. "I wonder what they'll be serving today," I mused out loud as we went down the stairs.

Derek shrugged. "Maybe if we're lucky, we might just get a rubber chicken. Or plastic fruit."

I grinned as I nudged him playfully. "Oh come on, cafeteria food isn't that bad," I responded lightly.

"Could be better."

We continued our light conversation until we reached the dorm lobby, which was buzzing with student life as usual. When we reached the dorm entrance, a voice called out to us. "Chloe! Derek! Wait up."

We turned. It was Simon. He looked a little disheveled; his uniform was worn messily and he looked as though he was just gotten out of bed. Nevertheless, I smiled at him as he caught up with us. "Good morning, Simon," I greeted.

He returned my smile as his brother rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. You just woke up five minutes ago," Derek muttered.

Simon's grin widened. "You know me too well, bro," he replied as he straightened his blazer, so it looked somewhat decent.

Derek sighed as though exasperated. "However, I can't help but notice that you had enough time for your hair," he pointed out.

Simon's hair had an I-just-rolled-out-of-bed look that somehow seemed that it was carefully styled to be that way without looking ridiculous. Actually, it was a good look for him. Simon laughed. "Right again. There's always enough to do one's hair," he chuckled softly. "You guys heading out for breakfast?"

I nodded. "Yep. You wanna join us?"

"Yeah, I'm starving."

The three of us talking and fooled around on our walk to the cafeteria, which was quite busy. Most students were either eating or just spending the next hour here, chilling until classes started. The lineup was quite long as well, so it took a while before we all got what we wanted. I looked around the cafeteria as I carried my tray, looking for a place to sit. "I can't see a clear table," I noted.

"Doesn't matter where we go as long as we eat," Derek replied as he scanned the room.

As I was about to suggest that we go outside to eat, I noticed someone was waving at me, trying to get my attention from the farthest corner of the room. It was Liz. She was beckoning me over. I glanced back at Derek and Simon who stood beside me, lunch trays in their hands. "Come on, we can sit with Liz and Tori," I said to them as I nodded towards my friends' table.

The two brother agreed and followed me. "Hey, I hope you don't mind if Derek and I join you guys," Simon said with a smile as we approached their table.

Liz returned his smile as she waved to the empty seats across from her. "Go right ahead," she offered.

Without another word, Simon sat down next to his brother, who sat across the table from me. I watched as Simon exchanged a light conversation with Liz and even Tori joined in. From what I heard of earlier, I knew that Tori did have a crush on Simon but she chatted with him naturally, without any resent or pain on her face. It seemed that she really did move on after he turned her down. Simon was a definite natural with handling girls. Although Liz and Tori didn't have much interest in basketball, he was able to tell them about his practices and make them seem interesting. "I can't wait until the games start. It'll be great," Simon said enthousiastically between bites.

Liz nodded understandingly. "I've heard that you guys have been working really hard," she said as her eyes slid towards my room mate. "Especially Derek."

Derek, who had been busy shoveling food into his mouth, paused as he gave her a look of surprise. Liz grinned. "Chloe has told me about your insane workout at the peak of dawn," she added.

His surprised gaze met mine and I smiled sheepishly. "Liz saw my sketch of you that I did for my art project, so I told her," I explained.

Simon nodded. "Yeah, Derek's totally obsessed with b-ball. Even moreso than me. That's why he often gets MVP," he said proudly as he thumped his brother's back.

Derek rolled his eyes as he resumed eating. "It's no big deal," he mumbled as he ate his oatmeal.

Tori's face became thoughtful for a moment. "Speaking of basketball MVP, you were the one who scored that scholarship last year when the university scouts came, weren't you?" she said.

"Yeah, that was Derek. It was during our last game of the season when Derek scored that 3-pointer which allowed us to win by a point," Simon explained as Derek remained silent. "That university scout was so impressed that Derek got a scholarship."

Liz gasped while I stared at my roommate in astonishment. "R-really? That's amazing! How come you never told me?" I demanded as Derek finished eating.

"You never asked."

I sighed at his indifference. It seemed like a big thing and yet, here he was, acting that it was no big deal. Simon's eyes met mine and he made an annoyed face to show me that he felt the same way that I did. I ate the remains of my breakfast in silence as I watched my friends talk animatedly. Derek joined in as well. I had been a little worried in the beginning when Liz invited me over to the table because I had seen the way people at our school treated Derek, but here, Liz and Tori seemed to have accept him. I was glad. Although his exterior was a little icy, he was a good guy at heart. More people needed to see that.

Tori sighed as she shifted her chair back and picked up her empty tray. "What do we have first this morning?" she asked me as I glanced at the clock and picked up the pace in finishing my meal.

"Gym."

"Right. I need to drop off an assignment before going, so I'll meet you there, Chloe," she said as I nodded.

Picking up her cue, Simon and Liz said their goodbyes as they also left to go to class. Derek waited for me as I stacked my empty tray on top of the others on the counter. "You have calculus now, right?" I asked as we walked towards the cafeteria entrance.

"Yeah," he replied.

I nudged him playfully. "You know, being around you makes me feel a lot dumber than I am," I murmured.

Derek raised an eyebrow at me in mock surprise. "You mean you aren't?" he asked innocently.

He dodged as I tried unsuccessfully to elbow him in the side. "Oh shut up. My inner genius just isn't as obvious as yours," I replied.

Derek gave a low rumbling chuckle at my answer. "Of course."

As we walked along the hallway while goofing around, I paused as I saw a familiar figure up ahead, watching us. "Hey Nate," I greeted.

"Hey Chloe, Derek," Nate greeted as he looked as us in return. "How's it going?"

I shrugged. "Same old, I guess. Heading to the gym for first period," I answered. "How about you?"

Nate smiled his charismatic grin. "Just going to get a snack before Spanish class," he answered back as his gaze drifted to Derek. "Congrats on making first string, Derek. I knew that you would make it. Afterall, you're Lyle Academy's MVP."

Derek shrugged as he muttered something under his breath. Nate's bright grin faded a little before he forced it back up. "Anyway, I'm starving, so I'll see you guys later," he said as he laid a hand on my shoulder briefly and left in the direction that we came from.

I watched Nate's retreating figure before turning to frown at Derek. "I know you two don't like each other, but you didn't have to be rude to him," I chided him. "He was nice enough to you."

Derek scowled. "I don't have to be nice to people I don't like," he said roughly as he looked straight ahead. "We done here?"

I wanted to tell him off, but bit back the words before they escaped my mouth. _What's wrong? Why do you hate him?_ I closed my eyes for an instant to calm my feelings down. Finally, I opened them to see that Derek was studying me. I averted his gaze as I waved us forward. "Yeah. Let's go."

After Derek and I split paths, I stood outside the gym door and sighed heavily. _Great, I suck at sports. To make it worse, Melinda's in this class._ I thought bitterly as I stared the gym door. "What are you standing there for?" Tori's voice came from behind me. "Let's go in."

I nodded as I followed Tori into the girls' changing , the voices echoed as girls changed into our gym uniform. One voice in particular was extra loud. Melinda stood proudly in her underwear in the middle of the room, surrounded by her friends. "Gosh, it's so hard being well-endowed," her voice drifted above all the other chatter. "I think I'll have to go get another bra fitting this weekend."

Tori snorted loudly as she stalked off to the corner and started to undress. I tried to ignore Melinda's obnoxious voice as I changed out of my school uniform. However, I wasn't successful. As soon as I stripped down to my underwear, I heard Melinda addressing me. "Chloe, you're so lucky that you're just barely an A-cup. You _wouldn't_ believe all the problems I encounter when I'm growing into a D-cup," she said as her followers snickered behind her.

I quickly tugged on my gym strip as I tried to grind my teeth to stubs. _Don't let her get to you, Chloe!_ I placed my uniform back into my gym bag and stacked it away before brushing past her to get to the sink to wash my hands. "Oh, I believe you," I said, fixing my face with a knowing smile. "Especially since your boobs are obviously bigger than your brain."

With my hand, I splashed cold water from the sink down Melinda's half-naked body as well as her henchmen. I smirked victoriously as they shrieked like banshees. Before they could counter back, I left the room with Tori laughing loudly at my side.

Today, we were doing basketball. Which would be fun, if only I was as good as Derek was. However, it was obvious that I wasn't. During our practice drills, I've lost control of the ball, missed the hoop by a long shot or even worse, trip over my feet and occasionally bringing down someone else. "You kinda suck at this," Tori commented as she helped me up after my fall.

I sighed. "There's no 'kinda'. I _do_ suck at this," I replied as I brushed the dirt off of my pants.

The girl, Amber, that I brought down, glared at me before stalking off to rejoin her friends. "Sorry," I called after her.

Our teacher blew the whistle and decided to have us play a practice match. "Team Red will consist of Amber, Juliana, Manpreet, Chloe and Jacinda," she declared.

"Team Blue will have Melinda, Ayaka, Jade, Gabriella and Rae. As for the rest of you, get on the sidelines."

I tried not to groan; Melinda was out to kill me for sure. "Go out and do some damage," Tori advised as she gave me an encouraging smile and got off of the court.

I swallowed thickly as everyone chose their markers; Melinda chose me. She smirked at me across the court. _I'll get you back for earlier, _she mouthed as I fought to keep my cool. The ball was tossed high into the air as the two centers leaped up to toss it to their side of the court. Melinda's team got the ball. And off they went, dribbling hard and fast down our side of the court, determined to get as close as they could to the net. Once they were surrounded, the ball pass was attempted, however, Amber intercepted and was now racing down the opposite way.

Both teams followed her closely down the court. Once she got near the net, she aimed for the net but her shot was blocked by an opposing player. The ball was then knocked into my teammate's hands, however, they were quickly surrounded. I shot to the side, hoping to get into an opening. "Jacinda!" I called out as she turned and saw me.

Jacinda dodged her opponents and threw the ball high into the air. However, it wasn't a straight path towards me. I raced forward to catch it. As I did so, a body rammed into me, sending me flying off to the side. I hit the ground on my side with the thud as I winced at the pain. The whistle blew as several bodies surrounded me, looking anxious. They were genuine looks of concern, however, one of the faces wasn't worried. "Oh my god! I'm _so_ sorry, Chloe. Are you okay?" Melinda bent over and held out a hand to me.

_She did that on purpose!_ I shot her a glare as I ignored her outstretched hand and pushed myself up. Our teacher, Mrs. Robertson, came running over. "Chloe, are you alright?" she asked.

I nodded as I rubbed my throbbing hip. "Penalty shot awarded to Red Team!" she announced.

I stood at the edge of the keep with the ball in my hands. I looked at my teammates, who cheered me on. Manpreet gave me a small encouraging smile. I swallowed thickly as I bent my knees and aimed for the net. As luck would have it, the ball bounced off the rim and back onto the floor. _Dang it!_ The game resumed with Melinda's team holding the ball. It went on for several minutes, points being awarded for successful shots and penalties were given when there was a foul play. I wiped my sweaty forehead and saw that my teammates were in a similar condition.

Once again, there was a chase for the ball. Panting, I braced myself on my knees as I paused to take my breath. During that moment, I saw that Melinda had gotten away from me. I saw her down the court with the ball. Luckily, I saw that one of my teammates had temporarily switched markers and was surrounding Melinda. Taking her cue, I looked for her marker and went for her instead. Melinda was backed into a corner with no where to go. So, predictably, she passed the ball. You would have thought that she had passed to her teammate, and it looked that way. But as I got close to my temporary marker, the ball caught me full on in the face.

I took a few steps back from the impact, clutching my forehead in pain. The whistle blew again. "Chloe! You okay?" Tori's voice sounded next to me as my teammates gathered closer.

My hand felt wet and as I lowered it, I saw that there was blood. "Oh shit!" Tori cursed. "The ball must have gotten a rock imbedded."

I remembered the sharp pain upon contact and winced. Mrs. Robertson took a look at my forehead and frowned. "That's most likely the case," she murmured. "Either way, you should get it cleaned and disinfected at the nurse's office, Chloe."

I nodded in agreement. "Should I go with you?" Tori asked.

I shook my head. "Nah, I'll be okay on my own. Besides, I'd love for you to kick a certain person's butt," I said, lowering my voice at the last part.

Tori glanced over my shoulder before meeting my gaze again. "Sure thing. That bitch will regret it," she said confidently.

I gave her a smile as I left the crowd and headed towards the gym entrance. As I passed, I saw Melinda smirking at my misfortune. Gritting my teeth, I vowed that I would get even later.

I walked back to the main hallway where the nurse's office was located. However, when I stepped inside, there wasn't anyone there. Looking around, I noticed several beds and- "Chloe?" a familiar voice interrupted my thoughts.

I blinked at the mention of my name. I turned and saw Nate lying down on one of the beds. "Nate," I replied. "What are you doing here?"

Nate sat up. "Skipping Spanish," he answered as his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "What happened to your forehead?"

"Gym class," I replied as I looked around the room. "Where do they keep the disinfectant?"

"Here, let me help."

Nate got up and took a wet tissue and applied it gently to my forehead before I could refuse. "This will clean the blood," he said softly as he gently wiped away the blood.

I said nothing as I was suddenly aware of how close he was. Never had a boy been this close to me. I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks as I kept my gaze on the floor. Nate held his finger on the bottom of my chin. "Chin up, I'm almost done."

Now he was touching me. My mind was slightly incoherent as Nate finally finished. He tossed the wet tissue and opened several cabinets before finding the disinfectant. "This might hurt a little," he warned.

I nodded. "I'll be fine," I answered.

Nate poured some onto a cotton swab and gently dabbed it over the wound. I gritted my teeth at the sting. Luckily it was over quickly. Nate reached into the jar of band-aids on the counter and peeled it open before placing it on my forehead, over the wound. "There," he said as his fingers traced my forehead lightly, sending tingly feelings down my spine.

"Thanks, Nate."

He grinned his signature brilliant smile. "You're welcome. Mind telling me _how_ you got that in gym class?"

I sighed as I thought back to the situation. I should have been more careful. "Short story is that Melinda has a grudge against me and threw a basketball at my face," I explained with a shrug.

Nate frowned as he touched my band-aid lightly. "My psycho-ex. She just doesn't get it that we're through," he murmured. "I heard about the other day where you publicly challenged her."

I flushed as I recalled the other day's events. She had made me really angry, so I blurted out what I thought without thinking about the consequences. But if Nate knew, then he must also know that our dispute was over him as well. My heart started thudding wildly against my rib cage. My thoughts must have shown on my face because Nate smiled lightly at my reaction. "You want to know what I think?" he asked softly.

"W-what do you think?"

Nate brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "That my bet is on you."

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><p><strong>AN: Hahahahaha, I can totally predict what you guys are thinking! -ducks and hides behind table- But keep in mind that it's only just the beginning... there's still a long way to go. -secretive smile- For those of you who don't know, MVP means "Most Valuable Player" which is a term that is awarded to a player (or group of players) who have the best performance. I finally just realized that I've been making a mistake for the past two chapters.. Melinda was supposed to be 'Miranda' (one of Chloe's friends in TS who called her a child), but ah well. Anyway, I'd be very pleased if you tell me what you thought about this chapter and please look forward to my next chapter!  
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	8. One or the Other

**A/N: My sincere apologies for being so MIA lately! It's been super crazy with tests and that it's nearing the end of the semester, so final exams are coming up as well. I was puzzling over how to do this chapter without making it sound bad, so I hope you guys like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 8: One or the Other<strong>

_Oh my GOD! Nate just KISSED my hand!_ I stared at him with wide eyes as my cheeks were flooded with heat. Was anyone capable of spontaneous combustion? If it was, I was pretty sure I would have gone up in flames. It was sad to say that my love life was a little lacking, but I think that factor had just changed.

Nate released my hand as an amused glint danced in his eyes. "Chloe?" he called softly as he edged closer to me, which was surprisingly possible.

"Y-y-yes?"

Unfortunately, whatever Nate was going to say next was interrupted as the nurse returned back to the office and cleared her throat loudly at the sight of us. Blushing furiously, I stammered my apologies as I backed away from Nate, making a large gap between us. "So, is there _actually_ anything that I can do for you?" the nurse, Ms. Wang, asked with an annoyed look.

"Um.. N-nate helped me, so I'm good," I answered nervously as I touched my band-aid, remembering Nate's light touch just moments before.

Ms. Wang considered this for a moment before sighing and waving me away. "Well, if you're fine, then I would suggest running back to class," she said dismissively before turning to Nate. "I see that _you're_ still here. Why don't you make yourself useful and sort out the newly-arrived supplies from those boxes in the corner?"

As I turned to go, I snuck one last look at Nate, who rolled his eyes behind Ms. Wang's back. _I'll see you later_, Nate mouthed as he turned to the pile of boxes that sat in the office. I gave him a sympathetic smile as I exited the room.

I floated back to gym class, where I decided to change back into my uniform and sit out on the rest of the matches. The rest of the period went by in a blur as I kept replying what had happened in the nurse's office. _Does Nate like me?_ I wondered as a goofy grin crossed my face. _He wouldn't have done that if he didn't right? _As I sat there thinking about what would have happened if Ms. Wang had not interrupted, Tori waved her hand in front of my face. "_Hello?_ Is anyone in there? Chloe?"

My mind wandered back into reality as I focused on the moving object in front of my face. I swatted her hand away. "Yes, I'm here, Tori," I replied impatiently.

She rolled her eyes as she drank from her water bottle. "Well, that's a relief. From the weird look on your face, I was worried that Melinda had knocked your brain out of orbit," she said with a pointed glance at the mentioned girl, who was chatting with her friends.

A small smile crossed my face. "Nah, that's not it. I'll tell you after you get changed," I told her as Mrs. Robertson blew her whistle and dismissed the class.

I waited on the bench for Tori as she got changed. As the door creaked open, I turned at the sound, expecting to see Tori, but instead, it was Melinda. "Nice accessory you have there, Chloe," she said in a mocking lilt.

I touched my band-aid and smiled at her. "You wouldn't have believed _who_ I bumped into when I was at the nurse's office. And the outcome of the event," I replied pleasantly. "So, I should thank you for throwing that ball at me."

Melinda blinked as she processed my words, obviously confused. Seeing Tori exiting the change room, I brushed past Melinda and out of the corner of my eye, I saw that her face turned ugly as realization struck her. "So, what was_ that _about?" Tori asked as the bell rang overhead.

I grinned. "Exactly what I had meant," I said as Liz joined us from her choir class.

"Hey guys, what are you talking about?" she asked as the student body filled the hallways. "And what happened to your forehead, Chloe?"

I sidestepped a rushing student. "Melinda threw a ball at me in gym class," I explained. "And when I went to the nurse's office to get it cleaned, I happened to find Nate there."

"Oh yeah? What happened after that? Surely something good considering the stupid smile on your face," Tori commented as my grin widened.

"Nate cleaned and treated my injury and on top of that, he kissed the back of my hand," I said quietly, so that only Liz and Tori could hear.

Liz gasped as her eyes widened in surprise. Even Tori's eyebrows rose. "Seriously? Oh my gosh! That's so amazing!" Liz exclaimed loudly as a few heads turned in our direction.

I shushed her. "Yeah, but I don't know what's going to happen next. Does he like me?" I asked, hope creeping into my voice.

Tori gave me a look. "Well duh!" she said, rolling her eyes at me. "You should act on the occasion or else Melinda's going to swoop down on him and snatch him in her claws."

I sighed as I wished once again that Ms. Wang had not interrupted when she did. "So, I should ask him out," I stated.

Liz gave me a smile as she patted my shoulder encouragingly. "Do what feels right. If you feel like asking him out, then I say 'go for it'."

I nodded as I returned her smile gratefully. "Thanks. I'll see how the situation plays out before I do it," I told them as we separated to go to our next class.

The next period went by frustratingly slowly. Despite my interest in screenwriting for my creative writing class, the ideas just wouldn't flow like they normally would. The classroom was filled with sounds of pencils and pens scratching against paper as I swore I heard the seconds tick by, one at a time. Sighing, I twirled my pencil around my fingers, wishing for an idea. A cool autumn breeze entered through the open window and rustled a few papers, but no one paid it any mind. Hearing muted chatter and whistle blows, I glanced outside, where the boys' gym class was taking place. They were doing their sprints as their teacher took down their times. On a closer inspection, I saw a familiar dark head as he ran down the track, the wind sweeping his hair back.

I watched as Derek ran down the track, well ahead of the other three that he was competing against. In a matter of seconds, he finished first in his group and the coach nodded approvingly at him before Derek got off the track and was greeted by his brother, who had apparently gone before him. Simon slapped his brother's back and said something to him, which made Derek roll his eyes. He nudged Simon in the side and Simon sidestepped him, laughing. A smile came across my face as I watched them goof around. They weren't just brothers; they were also best friends. I didn't know how long I was looking out at the sports field at the two brothers until someone cleared their throat behind me.

"Gazing at boys now, are we, Chloe?"

I spun around, heart thudding in my chest as my cheeks flushed in humiliation at being caught. Mr. Harris, my creative writing teacher, stood at the edge of my desk. He glanced down at my blank sheet of paper and frowned. To make matters worse, the whole class had stopped writing to stare back at me. I winced at the attention. "I'm s-sorry, Mr. Harris," I stuttered as I dropped my gaze from his. "I couldn't think of anything and was looking for an inspiration."

Mr. Harris chewed this over for a moment before sighing through his nose and accepting my apology. "Writer's block does happen, but the best way to get over it is to continue writing," he said. "Do you have an idea now?"

I nodded and thankfully, the attention on me dispersed as he returned to the front of his desk to continue his western novel. I collected my ideas for a few moments before finally writing about a mysterious outcast that kept to himself.

After the period ended, I returned to my locker to drop off my stuff. Upon opening my locker, I was greeted with the sketch I had drew of Derek when I had used him as my model. Madame Lafontaine had returned our themed project to us the other day and I was delighted to see that I had gotten an A on it. I considered giving the sketch to Derek since he was the main focus of it, but in the end, I couldn't part with it, so I hung it on the inside wall of my locker. Just as I closed my locker, Derek approached me from the side. "Hey," I greeted. "Ready for lunch?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah, I'm starving. Simon said that he need to talk to the coach so he'd join us later," he replied as he frowned at the sight of my bandaid. "What happened there?"

I shrugged. "Someone threw a basketball at my face, but it's not a big deal," I answered.

Derek opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off. "Speaking of basketball, could I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with my basketball skills," I told him as I winced at my lack of athletic ability. "I'm really bad at it and I feel like I'm literally dragging down whichever team I'm playing for."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "'Literally dragging down'?" he repeated slowly as he looked at me skeptically.

I winced again. "I'm not the most coordinated person, so in complicated sports, I tend to trip and pull others down with me," I admitted as my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

I watched as the corners of Derek's mouth twitched, as though fighting off a smile. Annoyance zinged through me and I scowled. "Don't laugh at me, Mr. Jock. Not everyone is good at sports."

Derek gave a dry cough as he rubbed his mouth. When his hand dropped, his smile was gone, but I could still see some traces of amusement in his eyes. I sighed as I rolled my eyes. "So, could you please help me out?" I pleaded.

A small smile. "Yeah, okay. When do you want your lesson?" he asked finally. "I'm busy with practice and I have a group project tonight, so I'll be back late."

I shrugged. "Hmmm.. how about tomorrow? It's Saturday," I suggested.

Derek thought it over before nodding. "Okay."

I returned his smile gratefully. "Thanks! Now, I hope they're serving something good for lunch..."

Lunch came and went like normal, but by the end of drama class, things were different. I was helping out backstage in cleaning up after class when Nate approached me. "So, what did you think about today?" he asked as he helped me coil the extension cords that connected the speakers and lighting.

I shrugged as I thought about today's practice. "I think it went pretty okay. I mean, Daniel still needs to memorize his lines and Nicole needs to stop worrying about being perfect, but other than that, it's coming along nicely," I replied non-chalantly.

Nate grinned. "Yeah, Daniel is usually pretty late in memorizing the stuff, but he's a good performer, so at the very least, we don't have to worry about that," he added.

I returned his smile as we continued to work in silence. By now, most of the class had left except for a few people and us, who were still cleaning up. As I returned the broom to the closet, Nate hung out beside me. "So," he started. "I was wondering if you're free to hang out with me tomorrow."

Surprised by his words, I spun to stare at him. "Y-y-you mean..?"

Nate grinned boyishly as he slipped his hands into his pockets and looked at me shyly. "I hope I'm not going too fast, but I wanted to ask if you wanted to go on a date with me," he admitted.

I gawked at him. _Is this for real?_ Nate smiled patiently at my lack of response. "Is that a no?" he asked slowly as I blinked myself out of my trance.

_Real attractive, Chloe. Now answer him!_ "N-no! Yes!" I blurted out. "No wait! I mean, yes I'd love to go on a date with you."

A low chuckle. I blushed madly at the incoherent string of words that had just escaped my mouth. _Great, he's going to think that I'm an idiot._ Nate smiled his charming smile as he stepped closer to me, closing the gap between us. "Awesome, so tomorrow's good?" he asked.

I stared at him as something clicked inside my head. My heart sunk as I forgot that I had already made plans with Derek for tomorrow afternoon. But I didn't want to turn Nate down either. He was the first person to ever ask me out. Seeing my hesitation, Nate tilted his head to the side as he studied me. "You okay?" he asked.

My shoulders slumped at being caught in this dilemma. Derek was nice enough to agree with helping me out. I knew that he wouldn't do that for just anyone, but he would for people that he liked. And that included me. I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "I just remembered that I already made plans with Derek for tomorrow afternoon," I admitted. "Is there another day that we could go instead? Maybe Sunday?"

Nate's smile faded. "I have stuff to do on Sunday and I won't be free for a while since basketball games are coming up soon," he replied. "It seems that tomorrow is the only day that I'll be free for a long time."

I said nothing as I tried thinking of another solution. There wasn't one. I had to turn down one of them. Seeing my frown, Nate's shoulder slumped as disappointment hovered in the air between us. "Is it important?" he asked.

Nate gave me a small smile, but I could see that he felt hurt. "Maybe I guess we'll have to put it off after all," he said quietly.

As he turned to go, my hand reached out like lightning and grabbed his wrist. "Wait!" I yelled out, my voice echoing in the now-empty theater.

Nate stopped, but he didn't turn to face me. I swallowed thickly as I realized that I had reacted without thinking. I couldn't let Nate go. Not like this. "I-i can always reschedule with Derek," I said quickly. "He'll understand."

Nate let the words sink in as he turned slowly, a look of wonder upon his face. "You'd do that for me?" he asked, a fragile hope lingering in his voice.

I gave him a tight forced smile as I nodded my head. "Yeah," I said weakly.

A blazing grin rewarded me as Nate hugged me tightly for the second time ever. I blinked rapidly in surprise as I inhaled his peppermint scent cologne. "Thanks so much! You won't regret it. We'll have an awesome time tomorrow!" Nate exclaimed brightly as he finally released me.

I stared at him, still in shock as Nate's smile widened. "Anyway, I kind of have to run, as I'm late to b-ball practice. See you later?"

I nodded mutely, as Nate looked back at me for a moment before jogging out of the theater.

As the theater doors slammed shut, my legs gave way and I slid down onto the stage floor. I didn't know what I was feeling at that moment. On one hand, I was ecstatic that Nate had come to ask me out on a date despite being late to his basketball practice session, but on the other, I felt horrible for rejecting Derek's offer. I was the one who asked him for help in the first place. And yet, I did this to him. He was going to be seriously pissed off and hurt.

"What do I do?" I whispered.

Nothing answered back except for the air-ventilation system that was installed in the theater. I sat there on my own as my mind drew a blank.

It wasn't until later did I know that I would lose one of them.

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><p><strong>AN: Again, please don't hate me or the story. It's still quite a long way from ending and it still has a lot of twists and turns. However, you'll have to be patient to see the outcome of this whole situation. ;) I apologize for the short length of this chapter because I had more planned in this chapter after Chloe wonders about what she should do about dealing with Derek, but somehow it seemed appropriate to end here for now. The next chapter will be quite an action packed one, so I hope you guys will look forward to that!**


	9. Just Like the Rest of Them

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all of the really fast reviews! I'm quite amused that a lot of you feel like smacking some sense into Chloe. Trust me, I do too. But then again, there's no such thing as being perfect. We all have our mistakes. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as it's heavily centered around Derek and Chloe!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Just Like the Rest of Them<strong>

"So, how do I get out of this situation?" I asked as I stretched out on the carpeted floor.

I had called an emergency girls' meeting with Tori and Liz, so the three of us had gathered in Liz's room that she shared with Nicole Tillson. Though at the moment, Nicole had swim team practice, so we had the room to ourselves. I had hoped to get some help on my predicament and had told them everything that had happened earlier.

Liz hugged her pink pillow to her chest as she frowned, her sapphire eyes sparkling with sympathy. "I don't think you can, Chloe," she said. "Not without hurting either Nate or Derek."

I growled in frustration. I had been praying for a different answer despite the odds of it. "_And _I already agreed to go out with Nate tomorrow, so if I bail on him, it'll seem like I'm not interested," I added as I grimaced at the whole idea of it.

Tori rolled her eyes as she drank from her glass of iced tea before setting it on the bedside counter. "As much as it sucks, it seems that your only option would be to reschedule with Derek," she commented. "However, I think that if Nate really wanted to go out with you, he wouldn't have forced your choice like that."

I sat up and shook my head. "Nate did let me choose, and I chose him. But I still feel like crap for blowing Derek off like that."

Liz shrugged as she twirled her straw around her glass of fruit punch. Then a small smile formed at the corners of her mouth. "Maybe he won't get mad," she said hopefully.

Tori snorted and gave her friend a look. "As if. Derek's pretty scary when he's angry. And I get the feeling that he will be when he hears about this," she pointed out.

I scowled at her. "Not helping, Tori."

Now she turned to give me the look. "There's not much you can do since you've already made your decision. Can't back out now," she remarked. "Just talk to Derek and explain it as best as you can."

"But try to soften the blow," Liz interjected. "He may not seem like it on the outside, but I think he's a good guy."

I sighed as I watched condensation form on the sides of Tori's glass of iced tea. "He is."

Tori sat up from Liz's bed and looked at me. "Derek will be pissed but he's bound to get over it. After all, you _are_ his friend," she pointed out.

I shut my eyes tightly as I thought about what Tori had said. It was true, however I couldn't help but to wonder _when_ he would forgive me. Rooming with him for the next little while will certainly be uncomfortable. But for now, I guess that I would just have to deal with the aftermath of all of this. "So," Liz started and I opened my eyes to see that she was looking at me excitedly. "Moving onto part two of why were here... let's figure out what you're going to wear for tomorrow!"

We then spent the majority of the evening going through various outfits and styles, trying to find the one that suited me the best. Although I never really did like playing dress up as a kid, I couldn't help but feel a little excited about looking my best for Nate. I had always dreamed about this moment. The way his eyes would light up at seeing me in something that made me seem mature and pretty.

After raiding Tori's, Liz's and my closet, we decided to go with a simple but appealing look as it suited me best. Tori agreed that makeup should also be kept to a minimum since the heavy stuff made me breakout and that was definitely _not_ attractive in the least.

Once we had finalized our decisions, I retreated to my room, exhausted, to discover that Derek was still out. Sighing, I took a shower, the hot water soothing my tired muscles and easing my mind. _It'll be okay; Derek and I will be fine._ I cupped some water and splashed it against my face, the hot water keeping me awake. I was definitely excited for tomorrow albeit a little anxious. This was my first date ever. I couldn't afford to screw it up. _It's Nate. What better guy to go out with on your first date?_ I shook my head, clearing away my previous negative thoughts. _Everything will be okay._ I rinsed off my strawberry-vanilla shampoo before towel-drying myself and got into my flannel pajamas.

Slipping out of the bathroom, I glanced around the room to see that there wasn't any sign that Derek had returned although half an hour had passed since I last checked. I sighed again. Well, he _did_ say that he would be back late. I could only hope that he came back soon as I needed to update him on the change of plans. I decided to preoccupy myself while I waited for him and checked my email. I had one from both my dad and Aunt Lauren. Dad's, like always, was short and straight to the point:

_Hi Sweetheart,_

_Hope you're doing well. I'm off to Berlin for a meeting proposal. Be back soon._

_Love,_

_-Dad_

Aunt Lauren's was slightly longer:

_Hello Honey,_

_Haven't spoken to you in a while. It's been busy over on my end. I hope you're adjusting well to your new school. I'd glad that Tori and Liz are also at Lyle Academy. How are they doing? It's been ages since I last saw them. Maybe once the holidays start, you can invite them over for a slumber party like you guys used to do back when you were kids. I must say that you're quite fortunate that you have the room to yourself. I remember back to my college days where I had to share my room with this girl and oh, the endless roommate horrors. Remind me to tell you sometime. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that they've started a new sister-hospital in Marseille, France, and I've offered to go. I won't be back for a while, but I'm always here if you need me. Keep us updated on your school life._

_Lots of love,_

_-Aunt Lauren_

As I typed out a reply, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty, as well as relieved, that Aunt Lauren believed my lie about rooming alone. If she knew, there would be an uproar and the last thing I needed was one. It was hard enough to persuade her to let me attend Lyle Academy because both she and my dad often had to work overseas, but I was able to. And I wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon either.

Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was 9:30. When would Derek get back? It was lights out in an hour. How much work did they needed to do for their project anyway? Sighing for the third time that evening, I turned off my laptop and flicked the switch on on my bedside lamp. Crawling into bed, I propped my knees up and decided to play around with various ideas of a possible drama script.

As I wrote out the script, I couldn't help but to keep glancing at the door, waiting for Derek's return. Every time he didn't, I would continue writing. I don't know how many times I repeated that pattern, but before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep, exhausted from today's events.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the shower tap shutting off and groaned at the stiffness in my muscles. Opening one eye, I glanced at my clock to see that it was 9 in the morning and yawned. Blinking several times to get rid of the sleep that lingered in my eyes, I looked down to see that my covers had been brought up to cover me sometime after I had drifted off. My notebook was also placed on the bedside tabletop. _Derek must have done that after I fell asleep._ I thought as I stretched out my arms and yawned again. As I woke up slowly, I heard the mechanical buzz of my phone vibrating under my pillow. I felt around my bedside for my cell phone and pulled it out, the screen flickering to tell me that I had a new text message. I tapped the message open. It was from Nate.

_Good morning! Let's get breakfast outside. Meet you in front of the dorm house at 10._

Heart thudding in my chest, I glanced at the clock again. It was now 9:05. I cursed as I threw the covers off of me and ran a brush through my hair. I had less than an hour to get ready. _And_ I still had to tell Derek. Speaking of the devil, I grimaced as the bathroom door creaked open and Derek stepped out, towel-drying his hair. "Morning," he rumbled in his low voice.

"Uh, morning. You done with the bathroom?" I asked as I picked up my toiletries bag.

"Yeah."

Without further hesitation, I hurried off into the bathroom to prep myself for today's date. _Lovely day to sleep in, Chloe._ I thought sarcastically to myself as I frantically brushed my teeth. _Being late on your first date is so not the way to go!_ I spat out my minty toothpaste and rinsed my mouth, ridding my mouth of nasty morning breath. I quickly washed my face next and applied some moisturizing cream. Once finished, I hurried out of bathroom and back into the room that Derek and I shared. I quickly grabbed my outfit and rushed back into the bathroom to change. Next, I added on some tan eyeliner that I had borrowed from Tori, which she had deemed "not as dramatic as black eyeliner". Adding the finishing touches with a little mascara, I hurried back into the room.

Derek glanced up from the computer and gave me a quizzical look at my appearance. "What's up? You're a little too dressed up for just basketball practice," he said as he swiveled his chair to face me.

I froze in my tracks as I bit my lower lip. I couldn't delay it any further; I had to tell him. I put my bag of toiletries back onto my desk as I turned to face him. Nervously, I tucked back a strand of hair and took a deep breath. "Um, Derek? There's been a change of plans," I started slowly, gaging his reaction. There wasn't one. "I wanted to tell you yesterday, but I fell asleep before I was able to."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "'Change of plans,'" he repeated slowly as if not comprehending what I was trying to say.

"Y-yeah. Y-you see, yesterday, I had forgotten that I made plans to practice with you so when Nate asked me out, I said 'yes'."

I winced as the words tumbled out of my mouth. So much for trying to 'soften the blow' as Liz had suggested. A moment of uncomfortable silence passed between us as Derek processed my words. When he did, his expression clouded. "And so, you decided to blow me off," he said finally, his voice flat.

"No! It's not like that. I just wanted to rain check our practice since Nate couldn't reschedule as he's busy for the next little while," I countered quickly.

Derek rose slowly from his chair and I couldn't help but flinch as he loomed over me, the intensity of his gaze was burning a hole through me. "It _is_ like that," Derek said coldly, anger evident in his voice. "Huh. I guess I'm no match to Nate after all."

I glowered up at him. "No, that's not what I meant."

He raised an eyebrow, challenging me. "Oh really? It's evident that you would much prefer to spend time with popular Nate than an outcast like me," he snarled as his eyes reflected his fury.

I felt my anger spike. "How did this conversation suddenly turn into a popularity contest?" I demanded. "Like I said, this has _nothing_ to do with it!"

Derek ignored me as he went on. "Just because he's attractive and seemingly nice doesn't mean he's a good guy. You're just seeing the act that he's put on and you're falling hard for it. Wouldn't be the first one either," he added.

I clenched my fists at my side, the urge to hit him was almost unbearable. "And how do you know that? Have you _even _tried talking to him?" I countered.

Before he could reply, I continued, "No, you haven't. He's nice enough to you but you don't even give him the time of day. What happened between you guys that made you hate him so much?"

Derek's gaze shunted off the the side, looking anywhere but at me. "Tell me," I said, my anger cooling as I wanted to know the truth that he had been keeping from me.

Derek didn't answer right away as I saw the emotions flicker across his face. Although he didn't say it, I knew that he was thinking back to the past. Silence stretched between us, the seconds on the clock ticking loudly behind us. It now read 9:55. I stepped back from Derek as my gaze turned towards the door. It seemed that once again, he was going to keep me in the dark. "I'm going to be late. I have to go," I muttered angrily as I headed towards it.

I managed to take a few steps before I felt Derek's hand tug on my hand before deciding to grip my sleeve instead. I could have pulled away and left him in the dust, but I didn't. Giving him another chance, I turned slowly to face him. Derek's gaze met mine, the fierce look in his emerald eyes piercing through me. Taking a deep breath, he spoke in his low voice. "You remember when we joined Liz and Tori for lunch for the first time?"

I nodded. "You guys were talking about basketball," I replied coolly, recalling the memory. "What about it?"

"Simon also mentioned that during the last game of the season against our rival school, I had scored a 3-pointer, which allowed us to win the game by a difference of 1 point," Derek said. "But before that, Nate had attempted the same."

I looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean by 'attempted'?" I asked as I tried to figure out the puzzle.

Derek swallowed thickly. "He had failed to get the shot," he explained. "However, the ball rebounded off of the backboard and Simon was able to get it. He knew that he wasn't able to score in the last few remaining seconds, so he passed it to me when I managed to escape my marker. And because of it-"

"-you were able to score, stealing the victory," I finished for him.

He nodded. "But," I started. "Wouldn't Nate hate you instead of the other way around?"

Derek's intense gaze flared up again as he gave a short bitter laugh. "He does. I'm sure he hates me as much as I hate him, if not more."

I stared at him as I waited for the explanation. "Okay... so why do you hate him then? He hasn't done anything to you," I said, not understanding.

Derek gave me a look that chilled me to the bone. "Oh believe me," he said. "He's done his fair share to try to get revenge. Changing my grades, trying to pay off the coach to kick me off the team, sneaking around trying to catch me doing something bad... you name it. However, it hasn't worked out for him."

"But he's bound to find something that will hurt me. Most likely hurting someone that I care about and that is why I hate him," Derek finished.

I stared at him in disbelief. "No way. Y-you're lying," I whispered as I tried to picture Nate doing all of that. I couldn't. It just wasn't his character. I _knew_ him. "You have to be."

Derek gave another bitter laugh. "And tell me why I'd lie?" he challenged me. "You think he's so perfect?"

My disbelief and shock gave way to anger once again. "Because you're jealous of him," I blurted out. "You've even said it. He's popular and you're an outcast." I waved my hand at him. "A lone wolf."

Derek's face became stormy at my accusation. "You really think that I gave a damn about stuff like that? I have Simon and that's all that matters to me."

The seconds ticked by as I stared at him. Then the realization sunk in. "So," I started, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice. "Am I correct when I assume that I don't matter to you?"

Derek blinked as my words hit him. I struggled to keep the tears away, but I could definitely feel them forming. _Please say that isn't true, Derek._ I waited for an answer and when none came, I smiled bitterly. "Well, I guess _that_ answers my question. Thanks for clearing up my mistake."

A snort. "You know what? In the beginning, I thought you were better than all of the other shallow girls," he said. "But it turns out that you're just like the rest of them."

As my tears threatened to fall, I pivoted sharply and struck him hard against his face. He staggered back as he looked at me with unsurprised eyes as if he had known what would have happened. A red hand mark began to form on his cheek but to his credit, he didn't even bring up his hand to touch his face. "Go rot in hell, Derek!" I yelled at him as I spun on my heel and slammed the door behind me.

Once the wall separated me from Derek, my tears fell freely, one by one. Sniffling, I mentally thanked Tori for the waterproof makeup and wiped my tears away with my hand. Then, I left to meet Nate.

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><p><strong>AN: Man, that was intense. Probably one of my most intense chapters that I've ever written. I tried really hard to keep Derek in character, so I hope he was. I can't believe the chapter only took two sittings to complete. Slightly shorter than what I'd prefer, but again, the story seemed to have wanted to end here. I'll probably be MIA for the next two weeks, at least until my finals are over. I really hate finals. But once this is over, it'll be winter break and that will mean that I'll have lots of free time to do more writing! Anyway, please tell me what you think about the whole situation and do feel free to rant if you like. It's very understandable ;) Please look forward to the next chapter!**


	10. Nate

**A/N: Hey everyone! I've survived my finals, thank god. They were pretty brutal, especially calculus. -makes a face- Thanks for all of the warm reviews on the last chapter. I was greatly amused to see that sides were taken. TEAM DEREK or TEAM CHLOE or both, in this case. It was great hearing what you guys thought! I made this chapter longer than my usual chapters as a present for you all!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Nate<strong>

Nate waited for me on the ledge that was outside of our dorms. As he heard my footsteps, he turned to see me. He stood up and gave me a wide grin. "Morning, Chloe," he said brightly.

I cleared my throat. "Good morning, Nate. Hope you weren't waiting for too long," I murmured softly as I approached him.

"Nah, I just got here-" Nate stopped abruptly as he got a better look at my face and his smile faded. "Chloe? Have you been crying? What's the matter?"

I averted my gaze from his. "Derek and I fought just before I left," I said quietly as I wished that we could just forget the whole situation.

An unreadable expression flickered on his face for a moment before his expression turned to concern and anger. "Should I go talk to him?" he asked as he looked towards the dorm building.

I shook my head. "No, just forget about it. I'll deal with it when I get back."

I felt Nate look at me in silence for a moment before his fingers tipped my chin up so that my gaze met his. "Derek's a jerk and you shouldn't waste your time thinking about him," he said softly.

I remained silent as I looked into his earnest pale green eyes. I could see the warmth and concern that lingered in them. I hated myself for it, but at that moment, I couldn't help but feel slightly comforted by his words. Finally, I nodded as I shook all thoughts of Derek out of my head. I forced a tight smile. "So, let's get our date started," I declared.

Nate's grin returned. "Sure, my car's parked in the parking lot near dorm A. Let's go."

His car turned out to be a white beemer. If I didn't know that he was well off, this definitely proved that he was. Not many parents would let kids our age drive around cars like that. Nate stepped out and opened the door for me and made an 'after you' gesture. I rolled my eyes and laughed at his gentlemanly antics. "Why thank you, kind sir," I said in a mocking-lilt.

Nate grinned. "You're welcome, my fair lady. It is not everyday that I see someone as exquisite as you are," he said, playing along.

"Just shut up and drive."

"As you wish."

Since Lyle Academy was on the outskirts of Oakridge, it took us about 20 minutes to reach the actual city. There, we stopped at McDonald's for breakfast as it was the simplest and fastest meal available. Once breakfast was out of the way, Nate drove deeper into the city.

I couldn't help but notice that Nate kept sneaking glances over at me to see if I was really okay about the situation earlier, but when he did, I would catch his eye and smile to reassure him. "So where are we going now?" I asked as we've been driving for the past half hour.

Nate looked over and cocked an eyebrow. "How do you feel about fast rides?" he asked.

"'Fast rides' as in roller coasters?" I asked as I felt a smile tugging on my lips. It had been a really long time since I had been to an amusement park.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I love roller coasters. The scarier the better."

Nate stopped at a red light and turned to give me a bright grin. "Awesome. Most girls I know can't stand them," he said.

I gave him a look. "Well, in that case, I'm not 'most girls'." I told him.

He turned back to look at the road in front of him. "Yeah, you aren't," he murmured so softly that it was just above a whisper.

I felt an uncomfortable lurch in the pit of my stomach at his tone and expression so I hurried on, "I've always loved them since I was a kid, but it's been forever since I've been on one."

"Well it's a good thing that we're going to Thrillville then."

Thrillville was a fairly large sized amusement park that was in the heart of downtown Oakridge. Whether it was in season or not, it was normally quite busy and today wasn't an exception. I guess it helped that it was also the weekend. It took us some time to get a parking space. "So, what first?" Nate asked as he insisted on paying for the entrance fee.

I looked around the amusement park. It really had been a long time since I was last here with my dad when I was a kid. As the laughter and screams surrounded me, I breathed in the sweet scent of cotton candy and smiled. Finally my gaze landed on a tall structure that shot it's occupants high into the air at an alarming speed. I pointed at the Hellevator. "That one."

A quick grin. "Sure, let's break the ice."

We spent the majority of the day at Thrillville and Nate was an excellent companion. He loved all of the best rides and was delighted that I did as well. When we went on the Splashdown, which consisted of log boats on a watery ride, Nate had offered to get in front so that I wouldn't be soaked. Water still splashed me, but at the very least, I didn't look like a drowned cat. When I mentioned this to Nate, he laughed. "Wow, I'm sure that even my underwear is soaked."

After that, we decided to dry off in the sun and relax. Sitting on the bench, with our wet butts pressed against the wood, I glanced off to the side, where the stalls were and saw an ice cream vendor. "How about some ice cream?" I asked, nodding to the said stall. "My treat."

Nate hesitated for a moment as though he wanted to pay instead but decided against it in the end. He smiled. "Sure, choose my flavour for me," he said.

I returned his smile and walked towards the ice cream stall. There was a fairly long lineup, which consisted mainly of parents and their children. Looking at them, I felt a wave of nostalgia and thought back to when my dad used to take me here when he had a rare day off. "Just you and me, kiddo," he'd say as he'd get us our ice creams.

I sighed as I wondered how my dad was doing now. Although I didn't get to see him that often, I really did love my dad a lot. It'd be nice if he didn't have to work so much; it wasn't as if we needed the money. But I guess it gave him something to do and it became a habit after my mom's death so many years ago. Thinking back, I remembered seeing my dad sitting alone at the kitchen table, grieving for my mom when I was just a kid. It happened often in the middle of the night, long after he tucked me in.

The first time I saw him alone was when I couldn't sleep and wanted a warm glass of milk to drink. It was then that I heard my father's heart-breaking sobs. Maybe it was because I didn't know any better at the time, but to me, my dad was invincible; he never cried. But he did then. Careful to remain out of sight and unheard, I cried silently along with him, holding Ozzie, my stuffed koala tightly against my chest, wishing for my mom to come back and make things good again. Of course, she didn't; she was gone for good.

Sometime after that, the pain became a little easier. Not to say that it didn't hurt; it just hurt less. I continued on with my life and my dad threw himself into his work. It had been that way for the past decade. Shaking the memories away, I noticed that I was up next to place my order. Taking a quick glance at the choices, I payed for double scoops of double chocolate and butterscotch on one cone while the other cone had french vanilla and strawberry marmalade.

As I returned back to where I left Nate, I couldn't help but notice passing girls our age giving him the once-over and smiling in the way that they obviously saw something that they liked. At the same time, Nate ignored the looks that they gave him and they left, disappointed. I smiled to myself, pleased that he paid them no mind. "I'm back," I declared as I held out both cones. "Which one do you want?"

Nate smiled as he took the french vanilla-strawberry marmalade combination. "Thanks."

I sat down beside him and we ate out ice creams in comfortable silence. We stayed at Thrillville for a little while longer and afterwards, we left to get dinner. When Nate pulled in at a classy restaurant, I looked down at my casual choice of clothing and felt the raising wave of panic. "I think I'm a little under dressed," I murmured softly as Nate cocked his head to the side and studied me.

"Nah, you look perfect to me. It doesn't matter anyway," he said as we walked over to the entrance.

_Easy for him to say_. I thought to myself as I looked at Nate's dark wrap coat that he wore above his designer top and dark denim. He looked like a runaway cover model. Nate greeted the doorman and got a warm response in return. It seemed as though they knew each other. The doorman was a young man in his early twenties and was fairly handsome with bright hazel eyes. "Good evening, miss," he said in a pleasant voice as he held the door open for me. "Enjoy your evening tonight."

I thanked him and entered the restaurant. Once inside, I inhaled deeply, smelling the scent of exotic food. Looking around the room, it was a very fancy restaurant indeed. The tables and sets were arranged so that there was a lot of room to move by and everyone by the looks of it, wore their best dining clothes. I felt a little self-conscious in my dark jeans and simple blouse regardless of what Nate had said. The waitress that came up gave me a once over and pursed her lips together as though she had bitten a lemon. My cheeks warmed at the scrutiny of her look. However, as Nate came up behind me, her gaze turned to his and her entire expression melted as she openly checked him out. "_Bonsoir_, welcome to _Chez Joel_, how will you be dining tonight?"

It didn't escape my notice that she was talking only to him and my existence was clearly forgotten the moment Nate had stepped through the door. He gave her a brilliant smile. "I placed a reservation on a room earlier for my companion and myself." he said politely. "It is under the name Bozian."

The girl blinked and flipped through her papers before finding the room that Nate was talking about. As she turned to look back at Nate, she returned his smile. "Of course, follow me, Mr. Bozian," she said sweetly.

She led us into a quiet room away from the rest of the diners and handed us our menus. "May I get you something to drink while you decide on your order?" she asked as we sat down.

Nate looked to me for the first choice. "Um, I'll just have some lemon water, thanks," I mumbled quietly as Nate said that he would have the same.

The waitress smiled at Nate and left to give us a moment to choose. I glanced around the room. It was certainly a nice room with a clear view of the city below us. It was much quieter in here as well. I looked back at Nate who gave me an amused look. "You look a little nervous," he said with a faint smile.

While I did have the occasional fancy dinner with my dad and Aunt Lauren, I certainly didn't expect to be taken to one for a date. "I wasn't expecting this. Really, we didn't have to be taken into a separate room," I replied.

Nate shrugged as a small smile danced on his lips. "We didn't have to," he agreed. "But I thought you'd be more comfortable in here than out there."

I blinked at him, surprised and a little happy that he had thought about me beforehand. "Thanks," I said gratefully as I lowered my gaze to my menu.

The dinner portion of our date passed by quite smoothly. The food was exquisite and made my taste buds drool with delight after spending the past month eating solely cafeteria food. Once we finished and Nate paid for the bill, I saw that there was still a few hours remaining before we had to return back to Lyle Academy. "Where next?" I asked as Nate drove out of _Chez Joel's_ parking lot.

Nate glanced over at me. "How do you feel about a movie?" he asked.

I grinned. "Depends on the movie, of course," I replied in high spirits.

"No problem there. I have a fairly large collection of movies at my place, so you can pick whatever you want to watch," Nate said as he drove.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "So, we're going to your house?" I asked, surprised.

Nate nodded. "Yup."

We chatted about various types of movies as Nate drove in the direction of his house. It turned out that he was also a big fan of action and adventure movies. "Sci-Fi is alright as well," Nate added after listing off his favourite movies.

I nodded. "Yeah and anything that's fantasy," I agreed.

We drove closer to the edge of Oakridge, where the houses were placed farther and farther away from each other. After twisting and turning on several roads, Nate singled out a road and drove uphill. Even then it took a while before I saw a plaque that read 'Bozian Manor' on the stone wall. It took about another 10 or so minutes of driving before we reached the iron gates that separated us from Nate's house. Actually, "house" was quite an understatement as his place was a huge old Victorian mansion on a piece of private property that was shielded away from the rest of civilization.

Nate held out his keys and pressed a button on the remote control, which made the gates withdraw. Then we drove forward. I gasped as we approached the mansion. Even at night, it was quite a sight. On the property, hedges surrounded the pavement and small lanterns lit the way to the entrance. In the middle of the field was a large stone fountain with a lion posing majestically in the middle. My dad's friends owned properties similar to this, but definitely not as grand. As I was too busy gaping, Nate pulled to a smooth stop at the entrance. "Well, this is home," he said quietly as he looked up at the mansion.

"This is huge," I said, stating the obvious.

Nate chuckled. "Yeah, it's too big for my taste since we don't even use it all, but my father likes it for the image," he explained as he got out and held the door open on my side.

"After you."

I got out of the beemer and gaped again at the building in front of me. Nate led the way inside and I followed after him, wishing that I had another pair of eyes to look at everything around me. The inside was just as stunning. Like the outside, everything on the inside was Victorian themed, which was appropriate. At the sound of the door closing, a voice called out, bringing me back to attention. "Hello?"

I watched seconds later, as a petite grandmotherly woman approached us, her face lighting up in delight at the sight of Nate. "Young master!" she cried as she enveloped him in a hug. "You're home!"

Nate bent and returned her warm embrace. "Marie," he greeted her softly, a tender smile crossing his face.

I blinked in surprise at his expression. _I've never seen that smile before._ I thought to myself. It differed greatly from his usual charming, brilliant smile. This smile made him seem younger and somehow more innocent. Almost child-like even. Finally they released each other as Nate turned to face me. "Chloe, I'd like you to meet Marie, my nanny. She's looked after me all my life," he said as the woman, Marie, beamed at him.

She turned to me. "It's a pleasure to meet you, dear," she said as she smiled sincerely at me. "The young master hardly ever brings his lady friends home."

Nate squirmed uncomfortably at this and tried to divert her attention. "Marie, we'll be watching a movie in the theatre. Would you mind starting the popcorn?" he asked.

Marie nodded. "Of course, young master," she said politely. "But before I forget, there was a call earlier from your father, asking for you."

Nate raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "He did?" he asked, sounding dubious.

Marie nodded again. "Yes, you should return it as soon as you can," she said before turning to me. "I'll take my leave now to get started on the snacks."

Nate sighed as he ran a hand through his red hair. I looked at him in concern. "Is there something wrong?" I asked as I studied his unreadable expression.

He shook his head as he forced a small smile. "Nah, it's most likely nothing. But I should call him back. Could I meet you in the theatre?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Nate gave me the directions to the said room before leaving to return his dad's call. Wanting a bigger look of the place, I made my way slowly in the mansion, taking everything in with detail. The decorations were very elaborate and well lit, but as I followed Nate's directions, I couldn't help but feel that the mansion felt almost eerie. Now that I was farther away from the main doors, the sounds of the house faded so that I was alone with the sounds of my footsteps. They sounded very loud against the silence that enveloped me. _Normally, this would be where the heroine walks straight into danger. _I thought and suppressed a shiver. I glanced at up at the portraits of faces that hung on the wall. I didn't recognize any of them. Their faces somehow seemed almost solemn and lonely. _Well, Chloe, if you were a portrait in this big of a house, you'd be lonely too._ I thought to myself as I moved on.

As I reached a fork in the hallway, I suddenly paused, unsure of whether I was supposed to turn right or left. "Great," I muttered to myself. "Which way do I go?"

I tried to remember what Nate had said earlier, but there was so many turns that I got them mixed up. I glanced around, seeing if there was anyone around. "Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing down the hall.

Another look around. Again, there was no one. I sighed in defeat. _Should I wait for Nate? Or should I proceed with caution to my impending doom?_ I rolled my eyes at the last line. _Too many movies, Chloe. Anyway, there's no harm in picking a direction. If I'm wrong, I'll just turn around and go the other way._ Deciding to go with that, I turned left, which revealed another long hallway. Sighing, I went down it. I started to wonder whether Nate ever got lost in this mansion. _He probably did in a place this size_. As I continued down the hall, I walked by a nearly closed door and stopped. Curiously, I retreated a few steps and prodded the door open further, which led into some kind of study.

The room was brightly lit and warm, with a fire dancing lively in the fireplace. It wasn't the room that I was supposed to be in, and I was about to turn around when I saw another portrait just above the fireplace. Astonished by the size of the portrait, my curiosity peaked and I ventured deeper into the room to study it. It was a painting of a young woman. She was very beautiful with her braided fire-like hair hanging over one shoulder while she posed gracefully for the artist. However, what caught my attention wasn't her beauty, but her expression. She was smiling, but her pale green eyes seemed sorrowful.

_I wonder who she is?_ I thought to myself as I gave the painting one last look. Turning away from the portrait, another substance caught my eye. Well, substances in this case. It was a cabinet full of trophies. I cocked my head to one side as I looked at all of the trophies. Most of them seemed to be basketball trophies all addressed to one name: Frederick Bozian. _Is he Nate's dad?_ I wondered. _If so, he never mentioned him in our conversations. Well, now that I think about it, Nate never really talked about his family. I wonder if it's something that he doesn't like talking about?_ I looked from trophy to trophy. If this Frederick Bozian was Nate's dad, than it was obvious that Nate inherited his dad's athletic gene.

I continued to study the trophies, trying to find Nate's trophies. Strangely enough, there weren't any. That was unusual. Why wouldn't Nate's trophies be here as well? Like the Bozian trophy cabinet or something. But what was weirder was the fact that most people would proudly display their achievements in an open area to the public, but here, it was almost as though the study was an area that no one came to. As I thought more about different possibilities, a creak came from the doorway. My heart thumped wildly against my chest as I spun around, a little faster than I intended.

It was Marie. She seemed a little surprised to see me here. "Miss Chloe? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm s-sorry. I saw this door and I wandered in here. I'm really sorry," I apologized, hoping that she didn't have a bad impression of me.

Marie smiled gently. "That's alright. I was afraid that you had gotten lost when you weren't in the theatre room," she said. "The young master seems to be held up a little longer than he had thought."

As my heart slowly decelerated until it was almost normal, I gave her a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I did get lost," I admitted.

Marie came into the room and looked around it, her eyes distant as she looked at the portrait of the young woman. Following her gaze, I studied the painting again. "Would it be rude of me if I asked who that beautiful lady is?" I asked slowly, judging her reaction.

"Not at all. She was the madam of this house."

"'Was'?"

Marie gave me a sad smile. "I shouldn't say. This is the young master's story, not mine," she told me.

I nodded as I accepted her answer. It was nosey of me, but I wanted to know more about Nate, since he never told me much about himself. I cleared my throat, trying to disperse the awkward atmosphere between us. "So, you've looked after Nate ever since he was young?" I asked, changing the topic.

Marie smiled affectionately as her eyes danced with pride. "Yes, I've served the Bozian family for a long time. I think of the young master as one of my own," she said warmly. "Although much of the household has changed over the years, I've remained by his side all of these years and I will continue to do so for as long as he wishes for me to do so."

I returned her smile. "He cares very much for you too, I can tell," I told her as Marie led us out of the study and back into the hall.

Marie simply smiled as we made our way down in silence to the theatre. "Here is the young master's private theatre, Miss Chloe. He will be along shortly," she said finally. "Please make yourself comfortable."

I nodded my thanks as I sat down on the leather seats that faced a huge flat screen TV and waited for Nate. Looking around the room, I saw a large collection of movies on the shelves. Interested in seeing what he had, I walked over to the shelves and scanned the titles. It was neatly arranged in alphabetical order by the genre of the movie. As my eyes moved down the titles, I noticed that there was a small photo frame that sat in between two sections.

Gently, I picked it up and saw a young Nate with his mother. She was slightly older here in this photo and wore a motherly smile that was reflected in her eyes. Her arms were wrapped around Nate, who looked very different than he did now. He wore thick framed glasses and had a very school-boyish hair cut, but at the same time, he looked very happy. His smile seemed genuine as he accepted his mother's embrace. Nate looked incapable of doing anything wrong.

I thought back to the argument I had with Derek earlier this morning. _"__He's done his fair share to try to get revenge." _That was what he had said. But looking down at this picture of Nate, it just didn't seem possible that he would do something like that. Putting those thoughts behind me, I placed the picture back where it originally was and returned to where I sat.

A few moments later, Nate returned with a small smile. "Hey, sorry that that took so long," he said as he sat down next to me.

I shook my head. "It's no problem."

"So, I thought of a movie to watch. How do you feel about X-Men: First Class?"

I grinned. "Sounds good."

Nate popped open the Blu-ray disk and inserted it into the player. As the movie rolled, we chatted about what it would be like if we had supernatural powers. "What power would you want?" Nate asked as he handed me the bowl of popcorn that Marie prepared.

As I reached out for it, my hand accidentally brushed his and I drew back, blushing. Slowly looking up at Nate, I saw a gentle smile dancing on his lips and shyly smiled back before accepting the bowl. His pale green eyes looked brighter in the dark, as though they glowed softly. I cleared my throat as I tore my eyes away from him, breaking the eye contact. "Something cool. Maybe controlling the elements or telepathy like Charles," I said, slightly flustered.

Nate nodded as his eyes returned to the screen. "That would be cool. I'd love to be telekinetic. That way, I could bring that remote over with my mind and turn the volume up without getting up myself," he said with a bright grin.

I rolled my eyes at him playfully. "Oh really? You should be grateful that remote controls were invented in the first place or else you would have needed to walk over to the stereo and manually turn it up," I countered.

Nate laughed. "You're right, of course," he replied as he leaned over to grab the remote and increased the volume.

After the movie finished, it was time to go back. Marie saw us to the door. "Please come back soon, young master. The house seems so lonely without you," she said as she looked at him sadly.

Nate leaned over and kissed her on her cheek. "Will do, Marie. In the meantime, take care," he said softly.

Marie nodded. "Of course," she said as she turned to me. "I'll leave him in your care then, Miss Chloe."

I smiled at her. "I'll make sure he keeps out of trouble," I teased as Nate rolled his eyes at me.

"Right. We'll see _who_ keeps _who_ out of trouble. Good night, Marie."

Back at the dorm, Nate led me back to the hallway where my room was located. "Did you have a good time?" he asked with genuine curiosity in his eyes.

I nodded as I thought to all of the things that we did today. "Yeah, did you?"

Nate grinned. "Couldn't have had a better day," he said as he cocked his head to the side. "Does this mean that I'll get another date in the future?"

I blushed as I liked the idea of us going out more later on. Nate saw my flushed cheeks and his grin widened. "I'll take that as a 'yes'. Good," he said softly as he slowly closed the space between us.

Instinctively knowing what was going to happen next, I slowly closed my eyes and braced myself for what was going to happen next. _This is it!_ I thought excitedly. _My first kiss ever with a boy that I like!_ With my eyes closed, I could see Nate's shadow getting closer and closer, with his breath warming my lips. As I tilted my head up, expecting my lips to touch his, a throat cleared sharply in the background. Stunned, my eyes flew open and turned to see who had interrupted our moment. It was Derek.

Nate made a small growl in the back of his throat as he backed off from me, looking annoyed. "Your timing really sucks, Derek," he rumbled. "What do you want?"

Derek was dressed in his workout clothing and had a towel draped around his neck. When his gaze met mine, I felt my heart lurch at the intensity of his deep green eyes. They were extremely cold. He looked at me as though we were no longer friends and that I was merely a stranger. Derek's face darkened and his whole posture stiffened at the sight of me. I swallowed thickly as I averted my eyes, unable to look at him. Nate crossed his arms. "Well?"

Derek's eyes moved off of me and looked straight at Nate with a look of indifference. "You're in my way. Move," he said, his voice a low command.

I saw the vein bulge in Nate's neck as he gave Derek a challenging look. Regardless of the fact that Derek was much more filled out that Nate was, he didn't back down. Wanting to avoid an unnecessary fight, I placed a hand lightly on Nate's arm, drawing his attention back to me. I looked back at Derek as his eyes narrowed at my actions. I fought the urge to shrink back. "Sorry, Derek," I said quietly as I stepped off to the side, bringing Nate with me.

Derek glanced at me for another moment before shouldering past us and closing the room door behind me, shutting us out. Nate and I looked at the door in silence as the tension in the air slowly dissipated with Derek's departure. I let out the breath that I didn't even know that I was holding. Nate sighed heavily as he ran a hand through his flame-red hair. He let out a strained chuckle as he looked back at me. "Well that kind of pulls the plug on the mood, doesn't it?" he said.

I didn't answer, but he was right; the mood was gone. "I should go," I said quietly at last.

Nate nodded slowly. "Right. Well then, I'll say good night," he said as a small smile crossed his face. "Sleep well, Chloe."

"You too, Nate."

As I twisted the doorknob slowly, I looked back at Nate's retreating figure and sighed, wishing that Derek hadn't interrupted when he did. Slowly, I made my way into the room, where I was greeted with the sounds of the shower running in the bathroom. Feeling relieved that I wouldn't have to see Derek again so shortly after our hallway encounter, I quickly changed out of my clothes and into my sleepwear. Taking another glimpse at the closed bathroom door, I sighed and climbed into bed, pretending to be asleep when Derek stepped out.

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><p><strong>AN: Most of you did figure out that this chapter would be about Nate and Chloe, but I couldn't help but insert some Derek in. Sorry it took so long to write this, I wanted to put it off as long as I could since it was majorly featuring Nate. I had to cut and delete some major scenes because the mood and tone of the chapter weren't quite right. But I promise that I'll write them in for the later chapters. Although this chapter was mainly about Nate, I still hoped that you enjoyed it. Please look forward to the next one. It won't have as much of Nate, I promise.  
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**I want to thank everyone who's been reading my fanfics and especially to those who've reviewed and kept me motivated to keep writing! Wouldn't have done it without you guys! (and in no particular order...):**

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**And of course, my anonymous people:**

**cheesehead, Nocturnalnobody18, lilly, YOU'RE THE BEST AUTHOR EVER, Lena, , Selene, Suzie16, Boz, LovelyLacie, IHEARTDEREK, Zara194, Derek'sWife, simplysami, Kiri, kkckat3, WantToMarryDerek, ImAVamp,** **ally, prettygurl1617, Crystal**

**Lastly, I wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas/Happy what-ever-you-celebrate-in-December! Happy Holidays!  
><strong>


	11. Targeted

**A/N: Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for all of the really awesome reviews that I received for the last chapter! I was pleasantly surprised to see that while a lot of you still rooted for Derek, a few of you felt that Nate was hard to hate. Honestly, I was trying to convey that feeling and was really happy that it worked! However, this story is far from being over, so the reason why Nate is well, Nate, will be revealed in the near future. :) Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 11: Targeted<strong>

"So, let's drop the homework facade," Tori declared as she pushed her open books to the side. "It's not like we're getting anything done."

I rolled my eyes at her as I set down my pencil. Tori, Liz and I were currently in the study hall of the dorm, where most kids got together to do their homework on a Sunday morning. I gave a pointed look at her empty sheet of paper. "You didn't even try," I accused her quietly as I glanced over at Liz's and saw that she wasn't much better off.

Liz sighed as she abandoned her school work as well. Then she turned to me, her eyes glittering with excitement. "Well, we've been patient enough. How did your date go?" she asked, genuinely interested in my answer.

I felt the smile on my mouth widen as I thought back to yesterday's events. Tori snorted. "_Obviously_, it went well," she said, rolling her eyes. "Or else, Chloe wouldn't have that dopey expression on her face."

I nudged her playfully. "'Dopey', Tori? Really?" I mocked-challenged her in high spirits. "Is that the best you could come up with?"

Tori gave me a dismissive look. "Enough with the suspense. Give us the details, already."

With a broad grin, I told them everything that had happened yesterday during the date leading up to the last few moments. Tori and Liz both mirrored my grin. "And Nate kissed you?" Tori interrupted as Liz and her leaned closer, waiting for my answer.

I froze as I thought about Derek's interruption and his face when he saw me. It stung, the way he had looked at me. It was almost as if we were strangers. All the warmth that I felt from going over what had happened during my date evaporated from my body as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water over me. Feeling the change in my mood, Liz's grin faded. "He didn't kiss you?" she asked slowly, her eyes growing concerned.

I shook my head. "No, he didn't," I replied quietly and Tori cocked her head to the side.

"_Okay_. Weird. Why the sudden change?"

I exhaled heavily as I thought about Derek again. This morning, he was gone even before I woke up, eliminating any chances to talk to him. Although I couldn't help but to feel slightly relieved, another part of me felt the guilt of yesterday even heavier. "Because Derek interrupted us," I admitted gloomily.

"_What_?" Liz and Tori both exclaimed loudly and several heads turned in our direction, looking annoyed at the level of the noise.

I shushed them and shot an apologetic look at the onlookers. "Yeah, Nate was about to kiss me, but Derek stepped in on us before it happened," I explained, my voice dropping a notch in volume.

Tori gave me a look of disbelief. "Oh wow. If only I was a fly on the wall when _that_ happened," she said slowly. "Speaking of Derek, how _did _he take the news that you ditched him for last minute plans?"

I flinched at her words. Although Tori made no move to soften the blow, what she said was right. I _did_ drop Derek for Nate's last minute date. Liz pinched Tori's arm angrily. Tori jerked her arm back and looked at her friend with disbelief. "Ouch! What did you do that for?" she complained as she rubbed her arm, where a red mark slowly formed.

Liz shot Tori a dark look. "You didn't have to say it like that, you know. Consider Chloe's feelings!"

I shook my head as I sighed heavily. "No, it's okay, Liz. Tori's right about the whole thing. As much as I wanted to go on that date, I shouldn't have done that to Derek," I mumbled as Derek's icy expression crossed my mind again.

Liz's eyes turned sympathetic as she studied me. "I assume that it didn't go over well with Derek, did it?" she said quietly.

I shook my head again. "Nope. He was pissed off as hell," I said and I explained what had happened with Derek.

As I finished my story, both Liz and Tori looked at me in shock. "You slapped _Derek Souza_?" Tori repeated slowly as her eyebrows raised to her hairline.

I nodded miserably, unable to say anything. Liz sighed as she leaned back into her chair. "Though he was being a bit of a jerk, you shouldn't have hit him. Violence never solves anything. In fact it usually makes it worse," she said calmly.

I groaned as I covered my face with my hands. The guilt was definitely starting to get to me. "I know! I was so mad at him that I just lashed out at him," I admitted sourly. "But I'm starting to regret it. How am I going to room with him when we're fighting like this?"

Liz and Tori exchanged a look at my response and seemed to come to a silent agreement. Then Tori leaned across the table and flicked my forehead hard with her thumb and middle finger. I flinched at the sudden pain and glared at her. "Hey!"

She ignored my protest. "You need to apologize," she said simply as I frowned. "Yes, Derek was being a dick, but you started it by blowing him off in the first place."

Liz nodded as her eyes turned sympathetic. "I know you might feel that we should take your side because we're your friends, but it's for that reason why we're telling you this. Friends will help each other and we want you to make things better again with Derek.."

"Especially since it's obvious that you're miserable about the whole fight between you two," Tori added as she twirled her pencil between her fingers. "So just say that you're sorry and that you shouldn't have done it."

I sighed heavily as I rested my head on my crossed arms. "Easier said that done," I grumbled. "He doesn't even want to see me."

Liz gave me a small smile as she reached over and patted my hand gently. "Give him some time to cool his head. Once he's not as mad, you can talk to him."

I looked at her earnest eyes, which told me that she believed in me. Liz really did think that everything would be fine between Derek and I. As for me, I was worried about getting Derek to listen to what I wanted to say. Why would he listen to me? I basically called him a liar and I still didn't know whether any of what he had said was true. Derek had no reason to lie, but I still couldn't see Nate being the person that Derek had described. There was so much that I didn't know. And nothing would get better if I just sulked and did nothing. As much as I hated the thought of it, Tori was right; I had to apologize first.

Finally, I nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll try to talk to him when I get the chance," I said as I looked at my friends.

They smiled encouragingly at my answer. I couldn't help but smile a little as well, after all, I did have the greatest friends ever.

Despite what I said, I didn't get a glimpse of Derek for the rest of the day. It was as though he was deliberately avoiding me. I felt a pang of sadness when I didn't see him at dinner and sensing my mood, my two best friends made an effort to cheer me up. To get my mind off of Derek's disappearance, we watched a movie in the lounge room and when that finished late into the night, we returned to our rooms at lights out.

Upon entering the room that I shared with Derek, I was greeted with darkness. At first I thought that Derek was still out, but as I flicked the light on in the bathroom, I glanced back and noticed a dark silhouette lying down on Derek's bed, his back to me. "Derek?" I whispered.

There was no answer, just a steady rise and fall of his back. _He's either asleep or ignoring me._ I thought. _Or both._ Sighing quietly, I retreated to the bathroom and brushed my teeth before going bed. _Just need to be patient. Tomorrow's another day._

Like yesterday, by the time I woke up, Derek was already gone. The lingering scent of Irish Spring told me that he had his morning shower recently and so, I probably missed him by a handful of minutes. I closed the bathroom door behind me and brushed my teeth as I thought about how the two of us used to go down for breakfast together. Even if I slept a little longer than usual, Derek would usually preoccupy himself doing something, such as cleaning, and would wait for me. But now, that all changed. I spat out my toothpaste and rinsed my mouth.

As I dried off my face, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. Maybe it was because I felt particularly gloomy but my reflection looked pathetic to me. "All just for Derek, huh?" I muttered to myself as I stared at myself, studying my expression.

The Chloe that looked back had distant eyes, and looked rather joyless. I blinked hard, willing for that image to go away. _C'mon, Chloe! You're stronger than this! Get over yourself._ I thought to myself, determined to change that fact. Finally, I reopened my eyes and studied my face again. This time, fiery eyes looked back at me, ready for everything to go back to the way it was. _That's more like it._ I changed into my uniform and grabbed my schoolbag before meeting Liz and Tori at the cafeteria.

As usual, the cafeteria was buzzing with school life as Lyle Academy's students were prepping for another day at school. As I got into the lineup, I couldn't help but feel that I was being stared at. Slowly, I glanced around the cafeteria to find that many of the students had stopped whatever they were doing and were staring at me. Some even whispered to their friends while looking at me. Heart thumping at the unwanted attention, I caught the eye of one of my newer friends, Andrea, and raised an eyebrow in question. Seeing my confusion, she quickly broke eye contact with me and returned her gaze to her bowl of cereal, refusing to look me in the eye again. _Okay, this is starting to get weird..._ Looking around the room again, I noticed that some of them returned to whatever they were doing before they noticed me, but some still stared at me. I blinked, not understanding why everyone was giving me their undivided attention.

It was as though I was the main heroine in a high school movie who had gone through some form of extreme humiliation. My heart sped as a sudden thought came to me. _Did I forget to zip up my skirt?_ My gaze dropped to my uniform and did a quick scan. No, it was perfectly fine. Conscious of being in the center of attention, I ran a hand through my hair as inconspicuously as possible, wondering if I had bed hair or something. Again, it was fine. Then what was wrong? Mercifully, I was next up in the lineup and my attention was diverted for a moment as I placed my order. Once I held my tray of waffles, I scanned the room again for a place to sit, trying to ignore the fact that I was still being gawked at, though with a smaller amount of people.

Spotting Tori and Liz at our usual table in the back corner, I sped walked towards them, wanting to get out of this situation as fast as possible. Reaching their table, I dropped into my chair and exhaled heavily. Liz gave me a quizzical look. "What's wrong?" she asked as she lowered her fork.

Dropping my voice, I leaned forward towards them. "Have you noticed that everyone is staring at me for some strange reason?" I hissed.

Tori straightened and looked around the room. "What did you do?" she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.

I shrugged as I turned my attention to my waffles and started to cut them into smaller pieces. "I don't know. This never happened to me before," I admitted. "Whatever it is, I really don't like all of this attention."

At my words, Tori sent a sharp glare at some of the remaining onlookers. "What are you looking at?" she snapped.

Sneaking a glance out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that some of them quickly abandoned their lingering gaze. Satisfied with the result, Tori's gaze fell back to her breakfast. "Just ignore them, they probably don't have anything better to do anyway," she muttered.

I gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

Tori nodded and we ate while I tried to banish the weirdness of this morning out of my head. Soon, breakfast was over and it was almost time to go to class. As we started to clear out from the cafeteria, I ignored all the looks I got and walked entered the school section with Tori and Liz. Approaching the hallway where my locker was located, I saw the running figure of Nicole Tillson, Liz's roommate. Liz looked at her in concern as she stopped in front of us, panting heavily. "Nicole, what's wrong?" Liz asked as she gave her roommate a once over, to see if she was hurt.

Nicole braced herself on her knees as she raised her eyes to look at me. A dead weight fell into my stomach as I had a feeling that whatever Nicole was going to say next was going to be ugly. "Chloe... I don't know who did it, but your locker!" she exclaimed, out of breath.

Looking at her in confusion, I frowned. "What do you mean?" I asked slowly, not understanding.

Nicole straightened and looked me in the eye. "Someone trashed it," she said her voice in pain and concern for me.

I blinked at her as her words sunk in. Immediately, I began to run towards where my locker was located, with Liz and Tori at my heels. As I got closer, I could see a large number of students crowding around. Once we reached the site, I stopped and stared at what lay before me. Beside me, Liz gasped in horror. "Oh my god..."

I stared in shock as my locker door was thrown open, the lock broken. Everything that my locker held was now all over the floor. All of the contents were not only on the ground, but they were soaked through as well, as though someone had taken a bucket of water and threw it over everything.

However, those items weren't the only ones that were scattered around; about a dozen photos were too. Upon a closer inspection, they were photos of Nate and I, specifically, the photos of us being together. Pictures of Nate and I alone in the drama room, of us meeting in front of the dorm before our date, and pictures of us returning together afterwards. _Is this the cause of all of this?_I asked myself as I stared down at the photos. I was dimly aware that Tori and Liz were trying to get rid of the crowd behind me, but when I raised my eyes off of the ground, I noticed that words covered my locker.

"_You evil slut! Nate's already taken!"_

"_Just go back to the hole you came from!"_

"_Stop contaminating our school, you filthy bitch!"_

More insults were written in bright red paint all over my locker, inside and out. Swallowing thickly, I turned my attention to my locker contents, scattered all around me. I bent down as I slowly gathered them, pain and humiliation evident in my cheeks. My textbooks were completely drenched, as was my gym strip. But as I started to clear the mess, another object caught my eye.

It was the sketch that I had drawn of Derek near the beginning of the school year. Except, it wasn't the same anymore. The water had soaked the paper completely and the pencil sketch marks leaked, distorting the image. Slowly, I fingered what was once the sketch that I had put so much effort into drawing. It wasn't just an object, but it also represented the beginning of my friendship with Derek. I could feel the tears forming, but I blinked them away. I couldn't break down because of this. "Chloe?" Liz called me quietly. "Are you okay?"

I didn't reply as I clenched my teeth and scrunched the drawing in my hand. It wasn't my sketch any longer; it was just a piece of trash now. "We'll find out who did this," Tori promised, a hard edge in her voice as she started to pile my textbooks.

Again, I didn't answer. The bell rang overhead and I was aware that the student body filed around us, each of them taking the time to gawk at me. As I looked up, challenging them to say something, I suddenly saw a familiar face. It was Derek.

His expression was hard and unreadable as he studied me and the mess that surrounded my locker. Ashamed and hurt that he had to see me like this, I averted my eyes and looked to the ground. The sounds around me started to fade slowly as the students of Lyle Academy entered their classrooms, their voices dropping to just a bare murmur. As I looked up back to where I last saw Derek, he was already gone. Going off to his class. Blinking hard, I met the gaze of Liz and Tori, whose eyes were both sympathetic and pained. I cleared my throat. "Y-you guys go on ahead, I'll finish cleaning up here," I said, forcing a smile.

Tori frowned as she studied me. "Are you sure? We can stay and help you," she said quietly. "I don't care about being late to history."

I shook my head. "Nah, it's fine. I'll be done soon anyway."

Liz and Tori exchanged a look before getting up. Liz laid a hand on my shoulder as she looked at me, her eyes bright with determination. "Stay strong, Chloe. We'll figure this out together, 'kay?"

I nodded numbly as I watched my friends retreat to their classes, leaving me alone.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh good god, I'm such a horrible person to torture my characters like this. But it wouldn't be a story without all of that good drama. That sketch of Derek that was ruined was actually kind of a symbol of the beginning of Derek's and Chloe's friendship, so coincidentally, it was ruined when their relationship was strained. Didn't plan that originally, but glad that it worked out like this. Anyway, hope you'll look forward to the next one!**


	12. Alone

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks SO much for all of the warm responses that I got from the last chapter! I'm really glad that it turned out well. Haha it seems that most of you have an idea who was the culprit behind the locker scene and so, it'll be revealed here. Once again, hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Alone<strong>

I skipped first block math class. Instead, I spent the morning trying to repair the damage done to my locker. As I couldn't do anything with a broken lock, I went to the secretary office and bought a new one, while muttering a lame excuse to Mrs. Talbot. Next, I needed to do something about my water-damaged textbooks. Although they were drenched and soggy, they could dry. They wouldn't be brand new like before, but at least I wouldn't have to buy new ones. I grabbed the pile that Tori had made and walked over to the girl's bathroom, which fortunately, had a blow dryer.

Spending the next half hour holding them under the dryer, I ran a list through my head, trying to single out someone who held a grudge against me. No, scratch that. A grudge against me being together _with_ Nate. The person who came out on top would be Melinda Fawkes. I frowned. Would she really go to this extent to make her intentions clear? Possibly. As much as I wanted to march over to her and give her a piece of my mind, I couldn't unless I was absolutely sure. Too many things would turn bad if I was wrong in my accusations.

I sighed as I switched books. _Great, it's not like I don't have enough problems._ I thought bitterly as the dryer sputtered to a stop. Irritated, I waved the book under the dryer and waited for the signal to pick up that there was an object underneath. The hum of the dryer filled the bathroom. Not only did I need to fix the fragile relationship between Derek and I, but I also had to find out who was the mastermind behind my trashed locker. Hopefully I would know before lunch.

Somewhat satisfied with the results, I carried my books back to my locker, where I had returned most of the contents back inside. Opening up my locker, I placed my books back inside and while I did so, my gym bag fell out. Stifling a groan, I bent over and picked it up. As my hands closed around the bag, I noticed that there was something missing from its usual feel. Frowning, I opened up my bag and checked its contents. Inside, I saw the Lyle Academy physical education uniform, my deodorant, a towel, my shampoo and conditioner. What was missing were my shoes. This time I groaned out loud. "Why would someone take my shoes?" I muttered angrily to no one in particular.

This was just great. I had gym tomorrow and I absolutely needed those shoes. Lyle Academy was pretty strict about the dress code and there were severe penalties if the code wasn't carried out properly during school time. I gave a resigned sigh as I shoved my bag back into my locker with force and slammed the door. Outside, the angry insults stared at me in the face. Right. Another thing on my list to do later on; clean the door of my locker. But at the moment, my shoes were more important than some stupid words someone decided to decorate my locker with.

I spent the next 20 minutes going around campus trying to find my shoes. It was possible that someone decided to steal them and hid them in their dorm room, where I wouldn't find them, but I couldn't give up. I also wouldn't let them have the satisfaction with me showing up to gym class without my shoes. I looked in every imaginable place on campus. This included all the bathrooms (even the guys' but since it was class time, they were thankfully vacant), the lounge rooms, the library, and outside. I ruled out the possibility that they would be in any classroom because that was where the teachers were and surely a random pair of sneakers would call for attention. Gritting my teeth, I ignored all thoughts that my shoes were gone for good. I most likely missed some area and decided to check outside again. As I stepped outside of the doors and headed towards the picnic area, I blinked as I saw a familiar object sitting alone on the ground. It was a shoe.

Hurrying over, I stopped in front of the said object and picked it up. Upon inspection, it was definitely one of mine as it had my name sketched on the inside. However, it was only one. I frowned. _Please don't tell me that whoever did this decided to separate them._ I held back a groan at that thought. As I studied the ground where I had found the shoe, I realized that I was standing at the base of a tree. A thought clicked into my head and I looked up. Sure enough, the other shoe was sitting on a branch quite high up the tree. _Whoever did this sure went to a lot of trouble._ I thought to myself. Looking around for an object to knock my shoe out of the tree, I grabbed a small rock which was lying nearby. I eyed the prize as I took aim and released the rock.

I watched the projectile fly through the air and it missed the shoe. Not surprising, considering my weak skills in basketball, where I could never get a shot in. "Guess I'll just have to do this the regular way," I muttered to myself as I unbuttoned my blazer and tossed it to the base of the tree.

With my sleeves rolled to my elbows, I reached up and grabbed the nearest branch, testing its sturdiness before using it to pull myself up. Slowly, I made my way up the tree, my feet scraping against the solid bark. I wasn't the most athletic kid, but even when I was younger, I always climbed better than most of the other kids. My small, nimble frame allowed me to ease in and around the branches, faster than any of the bigger, heavier kids. It also helped that I did a few years of gymnastics as well. Evening out my weight and balance came naturally to me. Despite being in a skirt, I made it up to the targeted branch in no time. Here, I needed to slow down. One slip and I could end up severely injured or break my neck. Gently, I eased my body out on the branch, inching forward when I was sure that it wouldn't snap. The branch groaned with every inch under my weight. Finally, my arm shot out and was just able to grab my shoe.

I exhaled in relief at my success. _Now, the way down..._ Slowly, I retreated back to the trunk and started my descent. The way down was more time consuming than it had been on the way up, despite gravity's pull. When I was about two thirds of the way off of the ground, my foot gently tested for a branch that stuck out below. Once I was sure that it was there, I planted my foot fully on the branch. It was a mistake. As soon as my full weight hit the branch, I could hear it snap, severing the branch from the trunk. I cursed as I felt a sudden drop, my arms grabbing frantically for some sort of support. I felt the rough bark rip the smooth skin of my arm as I fell.

Finally, my hand brushed against another branch and I grabbed it, as though for dear life. My fall stopped as I felt the muscles in my arm protesting at the weight of my body. A sharp stinging sensation went through my arm as I hung there, hand gripping the tree branch firmly. Gritting my teeth against the pain in my arms, I struggled to pull myself up. Hoisting myself onto the branch, I exhaled deeply, relief that I was uninjured. Well, uninjured for the most part. Once I was sure that this branch could hold my weight, I brought my injured arm and inspected the damage. Of all things considered, it wasn't too bad. I did lose several layers of skin and it was bleeding slightly. Not to mention that specks of bark material was imbedded into the raw uncovered flesh.

_Need to get that cleaned up._ I thought as I checked my height from the ground. Due to my fall, there wasn't that much distance between myself and the grass below. Gently, I made my way to the trunk and descended another few inches before dropping onto the floor. I landed successfully. I took a moment to breathe as the adrenaline pumping through me slowed now that the danger was over. After a few moments, I retrieved my blazer from the base of the tree before taking both shoes back to my locker.

I glanced at clock that hung on the hallway wall. Class ended in another fifteen or so minutes, which meant that I still had time to make a trip down to the nurse's office. As I entered the room, the nurse, Ms. Wang looked up at the sound of my footsteps and frowned at me. "Yes?"

I pointed at my injured arm. "I wanted to get this cleaned up," I said as Ms. Wang's eyes narrowed at the sight of it.

She gave a resigned sigh as she waved me over to her desk and pulled up another chair. "What did you do to yourself?" Ms. Wang asked as she washed her hands and got out the cleaning equipment.

I shrugged. "I fell and scraped my arm."

Ms. Wang took a wet cotton ball and gently dabbed it at the blood. "From a tree, I presume?"

I nodded. "Yep."

Ms. Wang muttered something under her breath about how all teenagers were troublemakers but other than that comment, she worked in silence. A handful of minutes later, Ms. Wang finished bandaging my arm. "There. Just make sure you clean it out every day to prevent any infection. Do you have any bandages in your room?" she asked as she washed her hands again.

I said that I did and thanked her before leaving the room. My next class was home economics, where we would be baking pinwheel cookies today. As I stepped into the classroom, all chatter ceased at my arrival. I frowned as I looked from face to face. _Was this about what happened to my locker?_ I didn't get much time to think about it because our teacher came into view and called for everyone to get into partners and begin. I went into my assigned station and saw that my usual partner, Emily, was notably absent from our area. _Maybe she's late?_ It wasn't like her to be late to class, since she was one of my more keener friends who hated to miss a minute of class. But it wasn't unreasonable. I waited for another five minutes as I slowly got out my recipe and gathered the equipment.

When the five minutes were up, I sighed as I decided that I would get started and that when Emily arrived, I could do a quick run-down on what needed to be done. I brought my recipe with me as I went to the back counter to gather the ingredients that our teacher had prepared for us before class. As I was measuring out the cocoa powder with my dry measuring cups, I accidentally spilled some of the cocoa powder that the person next to me had measured out. "Whoops, sorr-" My words were cut out as I turned to the person beside me and saw that it was Emily.

We both looked at each other in surprise, though I couldn't help but to think that she looked slightly wary at the sight of me. Nevertheless, I flashed her a grateful smile at her appearance. "Oh there you are. I was wondering what had happened to you," I said as I moved onto pouring the vanilla extract. "I'll get the rest of the ingredients while you get started on the flour back at the station."

When I capped the vanilla extract bottle, I noticed that Emily had not moved. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Um.. Emily?"

She averted her eyes, looking at the ground rather than looking me in the eye. When she didn't say anything, I frowned, wondering what was bothering her. As I was about to ask what was wrong, Vanessa Knudsen, one of the popular girls in Melinda's clique stepped up to us. I gave her a wary look but remained silent, since we never really got along. Vanessa looked at me and huffed. "Oops _sorry_, I guess you didn't know that Emily decided that she is working with my group today," she sneered. "Seems like you're on your own."

My gaze turned back to Emily, who had her head lowered, her long bangs covering her eyes, but I couldn't mistake the embarrassed blush that tinted her cheeks. "S-sorry," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper and left with Vanessa, turning her back to me.

I stared after the two of them, wondering what exactly was going on. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that many of my classmates were discreetly watching me. As my gaze met theirs, they quickly averted their attention to whatever they were supposed to be doing. I swallowed tightly. _I don't know what's going on exactly, but it seems that I'm on my own._ Taking a deep breath, I shook all negative thoughts out of my mind as I returned to my kitchen and started to work on my cookies.

It wasn't entirely difficult to work alone during home ec., but it did take up a lot of time. By the time I was two thirds done, most groups had already finished and were now waiting for their cookies to bake. Gritting my teeth, I picked up the pace and continued.

When the bell rang, signalling the end of the period and the start of lunch, my classmates emptied the room without a backwards glance at me. Since I worked alone, it took a little longer than usual to get everything cleaned up and it was another ten or so minutes before I finished. Finally, when everything was proper, I picked up my set of cookies and headed back to my locker.

There, I saw that Liz and Tori had waited for me before going to the cafeteria. "Hey," I greeted them, slightly out of breath after hurrying.

Tori gave me a look of impatience. "What took you so long, Chloe? The bell rang ten minutes ago," she said.

I sighed as I held out the cookies in front of my friends. "Turns out that everyone's treating me like the plague and giving me wide berth. My home ec. partner abandoned me, so I was stuck on my own," I explained. "Cookie?"

Liz and Tori each took one and looked at me with troubled expressions. I raised my eyebrow at them. "What's up?"

Liz cleared her throat as Tori chewed on her cookie. "Well, you see, Tori found out earlier who trashed your locker," she said quietly as she waved for us to walk.

"Apparently, it's our favourite bitch-slut, Melinda Fawkes," Tori said darkly as we made our way down the hall and towards the cafeteria.

I nodded slowly. "I suspected her earlier when I figured that if someone was unhappy about me being with Nate, it'd be her. But how did you find out?"

A satisfied smile crept onto Tori's face. "Well, I overheard some of the info-tech guys talking about it and when I asked them what's going on, they told me," she said almost smugly.

Liz rolled her eyes at her friend. "In other words, she used her womanly charm on them and they fell like suckers," she clarified, trying to hold back a grin but failing badly.

I laughed. It wasn't too hard to take a liking to Tori since she was pretty and did have a model's figure, worthy of all the male attention. It also helped that she was extremely smart and reliable. However, most guys did like her before she opened her mouth and destroyed their vision of an elegant, pretty girl. Tori grinned along with us, but that soon faded as though she remembered something important. "But that's not all," she said, her voice losing all sense of humour.

I looked at her in confusion. "Yeah?"

"Apparently, Melinda, who's like the queen of the school, has declared a full out war against you. Because of her family name and wealth, she has a lot of influence on a lot of us. Turns out that quite a number of the kids here at Lyle Academy have parents who are subordinates of Melinda's daddy, the president of some big hot shot company. So one word from her and her daddy could fire them without further thought."

Liz and I stared at her in disbelief. "Y-you're kidding," I stammered. "Someone's entire work life foiled because their president's daughter said so?"

Tori nodded gravely. "Apparently so. Melinda's definitely daddy's princess and he would do_ anything_ to please her. So no one wants to get on her bad side and as a result, her enemies become their enemies as well," she added.

Liz frowned. "But surely not everyone's parents work under Mr. Fawkes' company."

Tori shrugged. "True. But if they want any type of social standing in the community, they have to suck up to Melinda and her family," she explained as she met my eye. "In other words, at the moment, it's you versus Melinda with most of the school backing her up."

I swallowed thickly as I processed all of what Tori had said. Although it seemed unbelievable, it did explain everyone's strange behaviour towards me this morning. Because Melinda saw me as an enemy, all of her followers and underlings did too. As a result, I was a dead target. I looked to my two friends. I could handle being exiled from all other company at the school, but I wouldn't be able to live through this nightmare if my friends weren't with me. "What about you guys? Aren't you worried about the consequences if you two keep sticking with me?" I asked quietly, praying against all hope that I wouldn't lose my two closest friends to the bitch and her evil scheme.

Tori turned to me and gave me a bright smile. "Nah, we're good. Liz is from an old family who has their own type of influence on the community and while my mom wouldn't win the mom-of-the-year award, she'd make sure that no one crosses our family's path."

Liz nodded eagerly as she placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You don't need to worry, Chloe. Although I can't really imagine what you're feeling with all of this going on, but you can rest assured that we wouldn't abandon you," she added with a smile.

I returned it gratefully. "Thanks, you guys," I said softly as the damage to my heart mended a little with the help of my friends.

Lunch came and went quickly. I still got some stares from the other students, but Liz and Tori told me to just ignore them. I took their advice and held my head high, refusing to give them the satisfaction that the whole situation was unnerving me. When the lunch period was nearly over, I told Tori that I would meet her in English class as I wanted to make a stop to the bathroom first. As I headed towards the bathroom nearest my locker, I saw a group of girls hanging outside. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was Melinda's groupies. They ceased their chatter when I approached them. However they didn't move aside even if it was clear that I wanted to enter the bathroom. "Excuse me," I muttered as I motioned towards the door.

Vanessa silently exchanged a look with her friends and stepped aside, letting me through. As soon as I was through the bathroom doors, I sighed almost in relief. Somehow, I had believed that they would have given me some hassle, since they seem like the type to do so even without Melinda next to them, giving them their every order. Despite it being almost the end of lunch, the bathroom was empty. As I entered a stall, I noticed that the girls from outside had entered the room, but I didn't think much about it either.

As soon as I turned the lock on the stall door, I heard a sloshing sound right outside my stall. Sure enough, a large quantity of frigid cold water came pouring down on me a second later. I yelped in surprise at the icy feeling, my clothes drenched. Outside of my stall, I heard high-pitched snickers and giggles as hands slapped each other, clearly congratulating each other on the success of their plan. Still laughing, they emptied into the hall as the bell rang overhead.

I swallowed as any urge to go disappeared. Stepping out of the stall, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked like I had gone for a swim in the swimming pool. Glancing off to the side, I saw an abandoned bucket as well as a large puddle of water on the floor. _Guess they had it all set up and were waiting for me._ I thought angrily to myself. _No wonder they were hanging around outside._ I took another look at my image in the mirror. I didn't want to miss another class, especially if word got to the girls that I missed another class because of them.

I assessed the damage and dried my uniform as best as I could within five minutes, not wanting to miss too much class time. However, I still ended up late when I entered my English class. The heads looked up as I stepped into class, surprising them with my disheaveled appearance. The teacher gave me a quizzical look and frowned, but instead of handing me a tardy slip, he merely waved me to my seat. As I trudged over to my desk next to Tori's, I saw several pairs of eyes looking at me. Some were amused whereas others were sympathetic or shocked, like Tori's. When she caught my eye, she gave me an apparent look that said, _What happened? _I mouthed _later. _Tori frowned, telling me that she was unhappy with my answer, but she would put off her concern until later. When I reached out for my desk, I suddenly glanced up and met a pair of familiar vivid emerald eyes staring at me. I blinked. Derek was watching me with a heavy scowl set on his face.

I stared back at him before I realized that I was still standing and quickly took my seat to avoid any further attention drawn to myself. The teacher resumed the lesson, but I barely heard him over the pounding of my heart. As inconspicuously as possible, I turned my head slightly to the side and peeked at Derek through the corner of my eyes. He wasn't looking at me any longer, but the tight scowl remained on his face. Despite the fact that he was looking towards the front of the classroom, I couldn't get the sight of clouded anger from his eyes out of my head. _He looks mad. Is he still angry at me? _My heart thumped painfully at the thought. I didn't want us to continue being like this. I wanted us to go back to warm relationship that we had before. Where I could talk to him about anything and the same for him. I didn't want for him to be mad at me any longer. But above all else, I wanted to be friends again. It was decided; I would apologize at the first chance that I got.

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><p><strong>AN: Well, I'll start off to say that from here, things will get slightly better in the next chapter, as well as a long-awaited Derek scene. I apologize if you guys feel that I'm dragging this stage of Chloe's school life a little more than I should, but I can't help but feel that it's appropriate to give her some room to grow as a character. Some motives will be revealed in the next chapter too, so hopefully, it'll turn out good. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you'll look forward to the next one!**


	13. Melinda's Story

**A/N: Hello everyone! I'm quite amazed at everyone's quick responses to my previous chapter! I'm glad that a lot of you still think of Chloe as a strong character (although she can be a little hateful in the past few chapters because of her actions). I'm also very happy that a few of you noted that my previous chapter was called 'Alone' because Chloe did feel alone (excluding Liz and Tori) going against her entire school. I agree that it's a little ironic because the story is called 'Never Alone', and the original reason for that title has to do with Derek's story, which I keep debating on whether or not I should use it here in this fanfic. It's quite complicated, but I think it would be interesting to write. Hope you'll enjoy this lengthy (for me) chapter.  
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**Disclaimer; I don't own DP.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Melinda's Story<strong>

As our teacher went over last minute instructions for our assigned reading novel, the bell rang overhead, indicating that third period was now over. Immediately after the bell, I looked on in fascination as Derek stormed out of the door, books under one arm, while the rest of us scrambled to get our papers together. Tori followed my eye and frowned at Derek's rush, which had sent some unfortunate papers flying. "What's with him?" she piped up as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

It was a rhetorical question but I shrugged anyway. "Dunno," I replied as I held my books against my chest, filing out of the classroom with the other students.

Tori kept up the conversation about our English novel for the term, Of Mice and Men, while I listened half-heartedly and only replied when she directed a question to me. When I thought back to Derek's odd behaviour, I had the sinking suspicion that his actions meant that he was still angry at me. It seemed that he didn't even want to be in the same room as me for any longer than he had to. I sighed as we reached my locker, complete with decorative graffiti. Tori paused next to me as she shifted her bag strap onto her other shoulder. "What's up?" she inquired as she eyed my locker door distastefully.

My hands fumbled with the new lock as I faintly recalled the combination from this morning. As great as my friends were, I was pretty sure that they were starting to tire from all of my problems. Even though talking about it does make me feel somewhat better, the truth is that the situation doesn't improve unless I decided to take some action. As such, I didn't need to burden Tori with another one of my petty problems involving Derek. Lately, there seemed to be no end of them. I cleared my throat. "I'm getting the feeling that we're getting homework in chem class today," I lied.

Tori gave me a look that she that she didn't believe the crap that I was spouting, but played along nevertheless. "Well, we'll be seniors next year, so the workload's only going to get worse. Might as well get used to it now," she stated simply with a shrug. "Honestly, I'm not too bad at chem myself, so if you don't know what you're doing, you can ask me."

I looked over at her and smiled. Even with everything spinning around me in fast motion, I could always count on Tori to be my constant, unchanging beam of support. And I would always be grateful for it.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Next period passed by in a blur. Like I had predicted, there was chemistry homework. It wasn't that bad of a guess because Mr. Anderson normally did hand out a lot of homework to his students. Still, it would have been nice if we had caught a lucky break, especially after this long day. Some of the basketball players groaned since there was a long practice scheduled for today since their first game of the season was coming up fast. As I entered the hallway, I notice a flash of dark blond hair as well as a friendly face exiting one of the nearby classrooms. It was Simon talking to one of his friends, Peter. Simon was in the middle of saying something when he caught my eye and his smile froze halfway on his face. _Well, just add another name to the ever-growing list of people that are displeased with you, Chloe._ I thought to myself as I gave a small uncertain wave. Simon's eyes hardened a little at the motion and didn't return my gesture. Tori watched the exchange with concern etched on her face. "Do you want me to tag along?" she offered as she glanced back at me.

I shook my head. "Thanks, but I got it. I'll see you later, 'kay?"

Tori gave a nod and followed the busy stream of the student population. Once I saw an opening, I crossed the hallway to where Simon and Peter stood. The latter gave me a small smile. "Hey Chloe," he greeted.

"Hey. How's it going?" I asked as my eyes darted between the two guys.

Peter shrugged. "Okay, I guess. But I should probably get going to b-ball practice. Coach hates us being late, even if we're second string," he said as he turned to Simon. "Don't take too long."

Simon nodded as Peter flashed another smile at me and left us alone in the hallway. An awkward atmosphere lingered between as we struggled to find a start to the conversation. I swallowed thickly as I looked up at Simon's hazel eyes, determination coursing through my veins. "So... h-how have you been?" I started, trying to keep my voice from wavering.

Simon looked as though he was going to say something harsh, but caught himself before any words escaped. "Not bad, though I can't really say the same for my brother."

The stung a little. I closed my eyes for a second as I took a moment to compose myself. Then I took a deep breath and re-opened my eyes to look straight at him. "I assume that you know what happened between us," I said slowly.

Simon nodded as his chin stuck out, his eyes defiant. "Just from what Derek told me. He just said that you basically ditched him for Nate despite making plans with him first," he said coldly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's true; I _did_ 'ditch him for Nate'. But now that I realize that no matter how much I wanted Nate to like me, I shouldn't have done that to Derek," I replied as the pain of that particular decision struck me hard in my heart.

My expression must have reflected my guilt because Simon's face softened a little. "You might think that I'm a loser, but that was the first time anyone that I really liked has _ever _asked me out and I didn't want to say no."

I watched as the indecision crossed Simon's features. Whether or not he could keep the anger for his brother's sake. "I know the feeling of wanting someone to like you. I've been there too. But even so, you still hurt my brother, Chloe. That's the reason why I'm mad," he said, his voice softer now.

I nodded solemnly as my gaze dipped slightly. "I know. I wanted to ease into the subject, but I lost control of the conversation and it grew into a heated debate. Honestly though, I probably didn't even have complete control in the first place, which is why it turned out so badly," I told him, my eyes meeting his. "I wish I could go back and have worked it out better with Derek, but obviously I can't. I feel terrible for hurting him and I want to apologize for everything. He's important to me and I care for him, which is why it hurt so much when he said that he didn't return those feelings."

Simon's expression changed from indecision to thoughtfulness as he processed my words. Seeing the change in his expression, I looked at him in confusion. "Simon?"

He looked at me as clouded worry flickered on his face. "When Derek came barging in on Saturday, he was extremely upset and told me the gist of what had happened. Although I figured that he was hurt from being left behind, there was another part of him that seemed in pain. He told me that he 'screwed up', but wouldn't say anything more. I guess he was referring to what you said just now," he explained as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

"As much as he wouldn't admit it, he _does_ care for you, Chloe. If he didn't, he wouldn't have bothered looking out for you and opening himself up. In fact, if you weren't somebody important to him, this whole situation between you guys wouldn't have upset him like that."

"But then... why did he-?" I started to ask but I knew the answer already. Derek had said that he didn't care about me out of fury that I had chosen Nate over him. "-oh."

Simon nodded as he saw that I understood. "Yeah. Derek... he's not one to talk about his feelings, as you know. He can say a lot of things that he doesn't mean and if you're worth someone to him, he'll definitely be upset about it. Derek still is," he told me.

"I know. I want to apologize to him for my actions on Saturday, but I don't know if he'll even hear me out," I admitted as I shifted my weight onto one foot. "I get the feeling that Derek doesn't even want to be in the same room as I do."

Simon cocked his head to the side and gave me a small smile. "My brother can be weird like that, but believe me, he's been sulking ever since you guys weren't on speaking terms. Seems to me that he wants to make up with you as much as you do. But he just doesn't know how, so he's avoiding you until he can find a way," he said.

I let his words sink in. _So once I find him and talk to him, we can move on. _Simon looked off to the side, but when his eyes met mine, his face suddenly darkened, a warning lying underneath his hazel irises. "I'll forgive you this time, Chloe, but don't hurt Derek again. He's my brother and I'll always stand by his side no matter what," he warned as he watched me to make sure that I understood.

I swallowed as I nodded once, knowing that I would have to deal with both of them if this ever happened again. Even without Simon's warning, I didn't plan on going through another fight with Derek. "Got it, thanks."

Simon's stern look dissolved into a sincere smile, one that I've grown familiar with. "You're welcome. Hopefully, this will soon be over with," he added.

I returned his smile. "I hope so too."

Simon threw in some words of encouragement before leaving for basketball practice. I watched his figure get smaller and smaller until he turned the corner and disappeared from view. Feeling slightly happier than earlier, I walked with a lighter step back to my hallway so that I could grab my homework. However, upon seeing my locker, my cheerfulness dimmed a little. _Right. The graffiti._ Sighing, I dropped off my books and headed down to the office for what was probably the third time today. As I approached, Mrs. Talbot looked up from her desk. "Hello, Chloe. Heading back to your dorm?" she greeted warmly.

I shook my head. "Almost. Just going to clean up my locker a little. Do you have anything that can erase permanent markers?" I asked as I watched her cheerful expression faded into that of concern.

"Is there anything wrong? You've made quite a few trips here today," Mrs. Talbot commented.

Another head shake. "Nah, it's nothing that I can't handle," I replied. "So, the cleaning supplies?"

Mrs. Talbot hesitated for a moment as though she wanted to press for more information, but vetoed it in the last second. Her grandmotherly smile returned. "If you head down this hallway and then turn left on at the second room, you'll find some of the extra janitor supplies. If I remember correctly, there's a bottle pump full of liquid that can take off just about any type of markings. Feel free to help yourself," she said helpfully.

I nodded my thanks and followed her directions into the said room. Sure enough, it was like a janitor's closet. A broom leaned against the wall in the corner as well as a large bucket with cleaning supplies. Looking around, I eventually saw the bottle that Mrs. Talbot had spoken about as well as a few dozen bundles of paper towels. Grabbing a handful, I pumped a fair amount of the mystery liquid onto the paper towels and returned back to my locker.

I spent quite a while scrubbing the outside of my locker, ignoring the curious looks of any passersby. The metallic smell caused by the friction was gross, but it had to be done. Once I was finished, I gathered my books and papers and headed in the direction of my dorm. On the way there, I passed by the gym, where the sounds of sneakers squeaking against the floor filled the hallway. Curious, I opened the gym door a crack and peeked in.

Inside, the boys' basketball team was practicing hard as they did a practice game against each other. The coach stood on the side shouting advice as the guys raced down the court, the ball in possession of the one of the teams. As they passed, I looked from guy to guy, trying to find a certain one. Finally, a blur of movement caught my eye as a large silhouette raced past the others near the sideline. "Here!" Derek shouted as he raised an arm above his opponents.

One of his teammates was surrounded by the opposing team, but at Derek's voice, he looked up and saw that Derek was free, so he edged around his human wall and threw the ball. Eyes followed the ball as it sailed through the air. The other team immediately caught on that the guy that they were surrounding no longer had the ball, so they raced towards Derek. The others quickly surrounded Derek, trying to prevent him from receiving the pass, but Derek pivoted on his feet and dodged them. As his hands shot out, the ball fell gracefully into them. Immediately after, Derek ran, dribbling hard down the court, the sound muffled from noise of running footsteps. I watched as his sheer determination to score enabled him to twist and evade any incoming bodies that tried to throw themselves against him. Finally, when he was within scoring distance, I held my breath as Derek leapt up and grabbed the railing with one hand. His other hand shoved the ball through the net, allowing it to fall through successfully.

As the ball hit the floor, Derek released the railing and landed on the floor on both feet. The railing wobbled up and down from the force, the metallic sound echoing in the room. The coach blew the whistle at the goal as Derek's teammates ran over to congratulate him and Simon flashed his brother a thumbs up from the sidelines. Derek gave a rare grin and returned the gesture with a small fist pump. My heart thudded at the scene. Although it had only been three days, I missed seeing that rare side of him. It only made me regret our fight all the more.

As Derek collected slaps from his teammates, he turned in my direction and his eyes widened at the sight of me. Shocked at being caught, I released the door handle in record time as though I had been burned and braced myself against the gym wall, heart pumping like crazy against my ribs. I stayed like that for a few minutes as I prepared myself for the possibility of talking to Derek when he came out. But as I waited, there was no sign of Derek. I stepped away from the wall as I glanced back at the now-closed gym door, disappointment sinking in. _I guess he's not ready for that confrontation._ I thought to myself, feeling slightly dejected. _Maybe another time._

I returned back to my room, where I changed into a pair of comfortable sweats and a tee. Dumping my bag on the floor next to my bed, I fell back-first into the soft mattress, relieving myself of today. I was exhausted with everything that had happened today. Although I was lucky enough to evade Melinda for the day, I heard the unspoken warning, _It's only going to continue as long as you stay with Nate._ But I wasn't going to break up with Nate over some psycho's bullying tactics. I was made of stuff stronger than that. My feelings for him were stronger than what any threats that Melinda could deliver._ I'll get through this. For myself and for Nate._ I said mentally.

At the thought of Nate, I pulled out my phone, where I re-read the message that he had sent this morning. According to it, Nate was going to be absent from the school for about a week due to his father's request for his presence during a business ceremony. Although it has been only a day, I kind of missed his presence. I didn't need him to solve my problems; I could handle them myself. But it'd be nice if he was here.

I spent the rest of the evening in my room working on my chemistry problems. Like most typical homework questions, it started out easy enough, but got progressively harder. I groaned as I read the question and close to nothing sunk in. _Factoring out low soluble concentrations from soluble ones? I don't get this at all. Though I guess Derek would probably know what to do here._I sighed at the thought. "Great," I muttered. "Even my homework reminds me of Derek."

It wasn't hard to think about Derek, since I've been waiting to talk to him for the whole day, but didn't get the chance to. Even now, I was anticipating his return. There was no way his basketball practice lasted up to now, which meant that he was avoiding me. Again. _It seems that I'll have to corner him somehow and _force_ him to talk to me... tomorrow, since I'm so dead tired from today. _I thought to myself as I picked my pencil and half-heartedly attempted my remaining questions.

The time passed by extremely slowly as I tried to focus on my homework; every second felt like an hour. No matter how much I tried to concentrate, it just didn't work. Nothing was going in or out of my mind. It didn't help that the exhaustion from today was finally kicking in. My eyelids felt extremely heavy and I had barely any energy to keep them from drooping. Finally, when my eyes closed fully, I fell asleep, homework and other concerns fading away into oblivion.

. . . . . . . . . .

The audible click of the door closing roused my senses and woke me. My eyelids fluttered as I groaned from the stiffness of my body. Half-awake, I looked around me to realize that the stiffness was caused by sleeping at the desk where I sat last night when I was waiting for Derek. I groaned again as I put two and two together and came up with the conclusion that I missed another opportunity to talk to him. I let out a half-hearted curse as I straightened in my chair, a stab of pain shooting up my back. As I did so, something soft fell from my shoulders, my bare shoulders protesting against the chill of the room.

Frowning slightly, I glanced down and saw that it was my throw blanket that I kept on my bed. I fingered it lightly. "Derek must have put this on me sometime after I fell asleep," I murmured as I felt another pang of regret.

_He really is a nice guy despite the fact that I was such a bitch to him._ The thought settled miserably at the pit of my stomach. I sighed as I pushed the chair back and stood up, my aching muscles protesting at the action. The stiffness in my neck was quite painful as well. _Remind me never to sleep like that ever again._ I stretched out my arms and shoulders before doing my morning routines and meeting my friends for breakfast.

School wasn't much better off from yesterday. Melinda and company made me completely miserable in gym class. Our teacher had decided to give us a break from basketball and organized a game of dodge ball. Predictably, I was the target for most of the girls in the class, who wanted to please Melinda. I was out in a matter of minutes.

It seems that those who feared her were either outright hostile to me or pretended that I didn't exist. Even the ones who I've became friends with distanced themselves from me. Although I could understand why they would, it didn't ease the pain that I felt. Immediately after the bell rang for lunch, I slipped into the girls' bathroom, before the crowd would come in. Just after I entered the bathroom, I heard a distinct lilt that carried over any other noise from the hallway. I froze, half-way into the stall. It was Melinda's voice.

I swallowed painfully as my eyes darted between the stalls. As it was one of the smaller bathrooms in the school, there was only three stalls, with one of them carrying the "out of order" sign. Without hesitating, I slipped into the one with the sign and locked it, climbing on top of the toilet seat, hoping that I wouldn't be caught. The door creaked open again, Melinda's voice echoing in the otherwise empty bathroom. "What did you want to talk about, Gwen?" she demanded as two sets of footsteps entered the bathroom.

"I wanted to talk about Chloe Saunders," Gwen said, her voice low.

I blinked at the mention of my name. Gwen was Melinda's best friend, but ironically, she was also one of the nicer girls in Melinda's group. While the rest of them wouldn't hesitate to smirk or laugh whenever they tried to sabotage me and succeeded, Gwen would hang back, not helping but not interfering either. Instead of laughing with the others, she would only give me a sympathetic look before averting her eyes and leaving with the rest. I couldn't see her scheming in the "let's torture Chloe Saunders" plan.

Melinda made a weird noise between a gasp of surprise and a growl. "Hold on, we should make sure that we're alone," she said as her footsteps led her to the other stalls.

I swallowed thickly, not daring to breathe as Melinda checked the two stalls and stopping at mine. "It's locked," she stated.

I froze where I was. If Melinda just peaked into the crack between the stall door and wall, she would realize that it wasn't empty. Gwen huffed. "C'mon, Mels. It's 'out of order'. Don't dodge the conversation; we don't have much time."

Melinda gave an unlady-like snort. "Fine, whatever. Just lock the bathroom door behind you," she said as a click of the lock sounded a few seconds later. "What about Chloe Saunders?"

Gwen sighed. "You're going a little far with her, don't you think?" she said, sounding impatient. "She's done nothing wrong."

Melinda gave a low growl. "Excuse me? 'Nothing wrong'? She stole Nate from me!" she protested, her voice echoing in the enclosed room.

"Nate's not your possession, Mels. He should be free to date whoever he wants without you kicking up a fuss," Gwen said calmly. "You told me that you guys broke up because he didn't feel a connection with you. Maybe he does with her, who knows? Either way, my point is that you should let him go. Besides, you can get any guy you want, so why him?"

Melinda didn't reply for a moment, as though she was considering her words or perhaps remembering a memory. Finally, she spoke, "I can't let him go because he's the first guy that I truly love. Do you remember when I first told you about Nate?"

Gwen gave a small laugh. "I remember. We were probably thirteen or so when you wouldn't shut up about the guy. You said that you met him at a party and you liked him, even though you had a boyfriend at the time."

"Thing is, I didn't tell you everything that happened that night. It's true that we did meet at a party, one that my father hosted with a bunch of other businessmen, but it wasn't as simple as it was when I told you," Melinda replied, her voice going uncharacteristically soft.

"_Okay_," Gwen said. "So, what did happen?"

Melinda swallowed and through the crack, I saw that she looked different from what she usually did. Normally, she walked with an air of confidence and sexiness, daring anyone to challenge her and lose. But at that moment, she looked almost vulnerable, as if her normal face was nothing more than a mask hiding her true self. I listened attentively to her next words. "My boyfriend back then, Royce, was sixteen at the time and I was proud of the fact that I was mature enough for a guy his age to like me. I was beautiful, rich and a lot of guys liked me, but Royce was the first guy that I had dated. Anyway, I hung out with Royce at the party, since his dad was one of the higher-ups in a company that my father's business partner managed. There were other kids, whose parents were also invited, but I didn't want to hang out with immature children.

"When Royce left to go to the bathroom, I walked around and I accidentally bumped into a guy my age. At first glance, he was kind of cute, with flame-red hair and a clutter of freckles across his nose bridge. Not to mention his beautiful pale green eyes. Anyway, I waited for him to apologize to me, but he didn't. He just stood there, crossing his arms and looking at me as though I should apologize for bumping into him. 'Aren't you going to say something?' he had asked. I was getting pissed off. I mean, did he know _who_ I was? Melinda Ariel Fawkes doesn't apologize to other people. They apologized to her first. When I told him that, he just laughed, saying that I was in the wrong since I bumped into him first. Then he called me a 'spoiled brat'," Melinda said, her voice turning into a low growl.

Gwen let out a muffled laugh. "Really? Wow, he said that to _you_? How did you react?" she asked, trying to contain her laughter.

"I slapped him, of course. Then I stomped off, leaving him in the dust. I kind of expected him to come after me, like most people would do, begging to be forgiven, but he didn't. Pissed, I went to find Royce and wanted to take my mind off of the rude guy that I had just met," Melinda explained. "Royce eventually said that he was bored of being in the room and wanted to go outside to the courtyard for some private time. Still angry, I agreed to it. We soon went from simple kissing to full blown making out. We were moving a lot faster than I had realized. I was a little too into it to understand what was going on. While we were kissing passionately, his hands began to wander and eventually, he started to grope me."

Gwen let out a small gasp. "D-did you stop him?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I told him to stop, thinking that he was just teasing, but he didn't. Royce just kept going, trying to undo the dress that I was wearing. By that time, alarm bells went off in my head, telling me that I was treading in shark-infested waters. I didn't want to continue any further; it was getting out of hand. Over and over, I told him to stop, but he just kept going. When I was about to scream for someone, Royce planted his mouth over mine, kissing me harshly to silence me. It wasn't romantic anymore; it was frightening. I was never more scared than anything in my life," Melinda said quietly, her trembling voice no louder than a whisper. "I-i thought I was going to be raped."

"I was powerless against him; Royce was so much stronger than I was. He was the one in complete control and I was terrified. When I thought that it was really going to happen, it felt as though Royce threw himself off of me, so hard that he flew onto the grass behind him. But as I opened my eyes, I saw that it was the rude guy from earlier who pulled Royce off of me. Even though he was a stranger and I had struck him earlier, this boy had saw what was happening and had alerted some of the adults.

"Before Royce could retaliate against this guy, the adults arrived and held him down. Then they took him away, presumably to the police. Even after the danger passed, I shook uncontrollably, going into shock of what could have happened if this kid didn't save me. As the others went to notify my father, this boy hugged me tightly, whispering that I was okay now and that I was safe. It was then that I cried, really cried, in his arms, the feelings of relief and gratefulness flowing endlessly through me. He sat there with me, his strong arms holding me against his chest as I let it out. Royce's arms had held me too, just a few moments before, but it had been different. With this nameless boy, I felt safe; I felt protected. It was then that I fell in love with him. That boy was Nate," Melinda finished, her voice steadying her emotions.

Gwen, who had been crying silently, embraced her friend in a deep hug. "I'm so sorry that that happened to you," she whispered, her voice muffled from her tears.

Through the crack, I saw that Melinda was crying silently as well as she returned the hug. "This is why I can't let Nate go without a fight. He's not just a stupid crush; I truly love him."

Gwen released her gently, as though she would break. "Why... didn't you tell me this back then?" she asked softly.

Melinda gave a small hiccup. "I didn't want you to think any less of me," she admitted in a small child-like voice.

"Mels, even though I don't always agree with your actions, I'll never 'think any less' of you. You're my best friend and I'll always be here if you need me. You can tell me anything."

"Thanks, Gwennie."

"Now, enough of this gloom. How about we eat out in the sun?" Gwen suggested to which Melinda agreed.

I listened as their footsteps retreated out of the bathroom and faded. It was then that I got off of the toilet seat and shakily opened the stall door. At a glance in the mirror, I was paler than usual, with a slight greenish-tint to my cheeks, as though I was going to sick. I had listened to something extremely private, something that I should have never listened to. Melinda was right, what I had for Nate was merely a crush whereas her feelings for him were obviously much much deeper than mine were. But what made me sick to my stomach was that even after hearing Melinda's confession, I wasn't sure that I could let Nate go either. "I'm the worst type of person there is," I whispered to my pitiful reflection.

I walked zombie-like out of the bathroom, my mind in a jumbled mess. As it was still lunch, there weren't many people in the hallways. I walked mindlessly through the hallway, with no location in mind. As I turned the corner to go down a set of stairs, I dimly noticed that I wasn't alone. Hearing another set of footsteps, the figure looked up and his eyes, the shade of green glass, widened at the sight of me. I blinked as Derek stared at me, his face registering surprise. I returned his stare as I stumbled the next step, my legs giving way.

I didn't know what happened next as I saw the ceiling rush past me in a whoosh. I dimly heard Derek shout my name behind me, but I couldn't see him. I couldn't feel the staircase beneath my feet as I went flying through the air, unable to stop my fall. Finally, as my head hit the ground, a blanket of darkness engulfed me and I lost consciousness.

. . . . . . . . . .

I woke up with a splitting headache in a room that was vaguely familiar. It didn't help that my vision was blurry and I blinked a few times, trying to clear it. Groaning, I sat up in what I realized was a bed and looked around me. I saw a few jars containing medical cleaning supplies that sat on the nearby counter and realized that I was in the nurse's office. Turning my head, I felt a sharp stab of pain at my temple and I winced.

"Chloe?" a low voice called.

Slowly, I looked in the direction of the voice, already knowing whose voice that it belonged to. "Derek."

He sat on a nearby chair, his face dark with worry as he gave me a once over. "You lost consciousness after you fell down the stairs and hit your head," he explained slowly. "How are you feeling?"

I stared at him, a rush of emotion going through me, so fast that I couldn't decipher them all. The lost and confusion that I had felt prior to my fall faded away as I looked at him, because only he could make me feel that way. Derek gave me another concerned look, when I didn't answer. "Are you okay? Should I go get Ms. Wang?" he asked as he rose from his chair and headed towards the door.

"No!" Immediately, I leapt out of bed, throwing the covers to the side. I couldn't let this opportunity slip by me again. Ignoring the protest going off in my head, screaming for me to sit back down, as I hurried over to Derek, who looked at me with wide eyes.

Feeling slightly off balanced, I reached out and grabbed Derek's outstretched arm for support. "Please, don't go, Derek. I need to tell you something."

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><p><strong>AN: Ah, cliff-hanger. Don't hate me please. I wanted the confrontation between Derek and Chloe to happen during this chapter whereas Melinda's story gets booted to the next one, but I then thought that having two large apologies in one chapter wasn't that interesting to read, so Derek will get his own special apology next chapter. The reason why I wrote a bit about Melinda here is because I wanted her to have some character and a motive of why she's such a bitch to Chloe. All of my major characters will have some sort of backstory, regardless if they're my antagonists or not. Thanks so much for reading my story and I'll hope you'll look forward to the next update!**


	14. Making Amends

**A/N: Hey everyone! Firstly, I wanted to apologize for the delayed update... it's been a busy week with a hellish midterm yesterday. But I'm glad that it's over. Secondly, I wanted to thank everyone for the support and the amazing reviews that you guys submitted for my last chapter. I'm very happy that you guys enjoyed the back story for Melinda. As I mentioned last time, I didn't expect you guys to start liking her (that wasn't the point), but I wanted you guys to have a greater understanding to what is Melinda Fawkes. Some of you may pity her, hate her while others may start to like her. Whatever your feelings are towards her, I'm glad that one of my characters can bring up such passion from you guys. Especially since she wasn't in the books. So thank you all so so much for motivating me to write! And... now, for the long awaited chapter!  
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**Disclaimer: I don`t own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 14: Making Amends<strong>

Derek frowned as he looked down at me, confusion and concern flickering in his eyes as he did so. "Chloe?"

I straightened as I slowly removed my hands from his forearms and looked up at him. "Other than a headache, I'm fine. _Seriously_. It hurts a bit but nothing that Tylenol won't-" I stopped as I shook my head sharply, ignoring the pangs of pain at the action. "-Okay, I'm getting off topic. I missed all of those opportunities back there and I _won't_ let this one go by without you hearing me out."

I took a shuddering breath to calm my pacing heart. _I can do this. _Swallowing hard, I exhaled deeply, pulling my resolve together. "Derek, I'm _so _sorry," I blurted out as his brilliant green eyes widened at my outburst. "On Saturday morning, I was a bitch to you. This whole mess between us is my fault. As much as I wanted to go out with Nate, I should have turned him down. Or at least postponed it to some other time. But I didn't. Despite making plans with you prior to Nate asking me out, I...I dumped you for him at the last minute," I told him, begging him to see that I really did feel guilt and remorse for my actions.

"On top of it all, I didn't think about what you must have felt. I consider you as someone important to me, but the truth is that I was being totally selfish and thought only of myself," I added. "A-and in the heat of the argument, I-i said some things that I shouldn't have."

Derek didn't reply as his gaze slipped from mine, his eyes distant. I squirmed as I waited for him to answer, the atmosphere thick between us. Ever since the beginning of my confession, he had stiffened, his whole body rigid. When he didn't say anything, I knew that he was thinking back to Saturday morning. I tried to catch a glimpse of his expression, but his eyes were hidden by a curtain of his midnight black hair. Finally, I couldn't stand the silence for any longer. "Please say something, Derek. _Anything_," I pleaded, my voice just barely louder than that of a whisper.

At the sound of my voice, Derek turned so that he was facing me again. I blinked as I saw his intense posture soften a little. "I know you like Nate, Chloe," Derek said quietly as he shoved his hands into his pockets, looking younger and somehow smaller than he was. "I was a little mad at being blown off, but the reason that I was upset was because Nate's not a good guy, but you refuse see it."

I stared at him as I let his words sink in. "S-so.. you were just worried for me?" I asked, my voice small.

Derek merely shrugged at my question, but at that moment, I knew that I was right. Regret and guilt flooded through me as I thought back to my appalling behaviour. "I didn't mean to say all of those things either, but by the time I realized that, I was unable to take them back," Derek added as his gaze met mine, asking me to understand. "As a result, I hurt you. I... I'm sorry,"

My eyes widened at his sincere apology. While I had thought of reconciling with Derek, it never occurred to me that he would apologize as well. It wasn't that he was incapable of saying "sorry", but he wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean anything to him. So, Simon was right; Derek _does_ care for me. "I'm also sorry... for calling you a liar," I admitted quietly.

Derek shrugged again. "Doesn't matter," he said gruffly, but the set of his shoulders told me that it did to some extent.

I shook my head at his response. "No, really. I mean it. You told me why you didn't trust him and you gave me your reasons, but despite that, I called you a liar," I told him. "Honestly, I couldn't see Nate being the type of person that you described.

"While it's true that I didn't know him for very long, I'm learning more and more about him everyday and I've seen different sides to him. Even the ones that he doesn't show to others. Under that proud, confident exterior, he has some demons haunting him from his past but I want to give him a shoulder to lean on when it gets too tough for him to handle on his own."

I looked at Derek, my eyes meeting his. "Does this mean that I trust him completely? Of course not. Only with time, will I really know whether or not he's a bad person. And I want to be the one to judge that for myself," I added. "Thank you for worrying about me, Derek. You don't know what that means to me. But don't worry, I'll be careful with Nate."

Derek considered my words as he ran a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs back. After a long minute of silence, he gave a defeated sigh and met my eye. "As long as you don't forget it," he mumbled.

I nodded as I shot him a smile, grateful that he understood and forgave me. "I won't. Thanks, Derek."

When Ms. Wang returned moments later, she gave me a quick check up before saying that I had no serious injuries other than a bump on my head. Looking exasperated with my third visit to the nurse's office, she signed a slip and told me that I could take the rest of the day off. Well, there wasn't much to miss anyway, considering that I had been unconscious through most of the third period, but I did like the idea of getting to miss fourth period. As the bell rang overhead, Derek and I thanked Ms. Wang and headed outside, where classroom doors clanged open and the rumbling sounds of the student body echoed in the hallway.

Derek shoved his hands into his pockets as he looked down at me. "Guess I should go," he mumbled, his voice low.

I nodded. "Yeah you should. Sorry for taking up your spare block," I said with an apologetic smile. "Normally, you'd be doing homework, right?"

Derek shrugged as he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "Nah, it's no big deal. I'll do it after work. Anyway, see you later?"

"Yeah. See you."

As Derek turned his back to me and left down the hall for his next class, I watched his retreating figure and for the first time in three days, my heart felt lighter. I was no longer burdened by the heavy weight of guilt and regret. In addition to that, we were friends again. With a happier mood, I retreated back to the room that we shared and spent the rest of my afternoon doing some screen writing.

By the time dinner came around, Derek finished his lab assistant duties and came back to the room for a shower as I was replying to one of Nate's texts, asking me how my day was. As the bathroom creaked open, the scent of Irish Spring soap wafted through the room. I swivelled in my chair to look at Derek, who was towel-drying his hair. "You hungry?" I asked as he stepped into the room.

He raised an eyebrow at me beneath his wet bangs. I rolled my eyes. "_Right._ Stupid question. You're usually starving by dinner time," I said as I sent the text and slipped my phone into my pocket.

"What do you think they'll be serving?"

I shrugged as I pulled my hoodie on. "I passed by earlier and saw that the dinner special was baked pork chops."

Derek nodded approvingly as he laid his towel neatly on the back of his chair. "Sounds good. But I'm hungry enough that pretty much anything will taste good. Let's go."

As we headed down to the dorm lobby, many heads looked up from what they were doing and stared at our arrival. I sighed as I waved Derek onwards. "Just ignore them, that's what I've been doing," I muttered.

Derek frowned, but said nothing until we exited the dormitory. "I heard about how Melinda's out to get you since you're going out with Nate," he mumbled a few seconds later.

I nodded. "Yeah, she has pretty much most of the school against me as well," I replied. "It bothered me at first, to have some of my friends avoid me like the black plague, but I can't really blame them."

As we walked towards the cafeteria, Derek kept sneaking glances in my direction, concern etched in his vivid emerald irises. On the third time, I stopped walking and gave him a small reassuring smile. "I'm fine, since the friends that matter most to me are still on my side," I said as I met his eye. "The situation sucks, but it's nothing that I can't handle."

Derek opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, but closed his mouth before any words could escape. Instead, he gave me a look that said what he felt louder than any words. _I'm here for you if you need me._ My smile widened. "Thanks, roomie. Now, let's hurry up; I'm starving."

After the long wait in line for our food, Derek and I joined Liz and Tori at our usual table. They looked a little shocked at Derek's appearance, but they smiled at him after the initial moments of surprise. "Made up, huh?" Tori asked as Liz sighed at her friend's bluntness. "About time too, I must say, since Chloe's been moping ever since you guys fought."

My cheeks burned as I kicked Tori under the table. "Ow! _What_? It's true, you were," Tori complained as she reached down to rub her ankle.

A small chuckle sounded behind us and I turned to see Simon carrying his tray of food. "So was Derek. But I'm happy to see that you guys are on speaking terms again," he said. "Mind if I join you guys?"

Liz waved him to the empty seat across from her as I snuck a look at Derek, who was in the middle of wolfing down his food. _I'm glad that we're friends again._ I thought as a small smile crept on my face. When Derek caught me looking at him, my eyes darted back to my plate of food, blushing furiously. Derek wore an unreadable expression, but as Liz and Tori started a conversation about the upcoming basketball game, he dropped whatever he was thinking and resumed eating. "It's going to be the first game of the season, right?" Liz asked as Simon grinned.

"Yup, Coach Turner's been working our butts off. He says he wants to 'start off with a killer impression'," Simon replied as he air quoted the words with his fingers. "It's a Home game, so you guys should come out and watch if you aren't doing anything."

I grinned alongside with him. "You bet. It's in about a week and a half from today, right?"

Simon nodded as he clapped a hand on Derek's shoulder. "Yup. Make sure to cheer us on," he said cheerfully as his brother rolled his eyes.

"As long as there's no distractions, I'm good," he rumbled as his attention returned to his food in front of him.

Simon and I exchanged a look and smiled. It was just like Derek to be well, Derek. He seemed indifferent now, but by the time the match came around, he was going to be as excited as the others, just not as visibly. Derek was always really passionate about the things that he loved and basketball wasn't an exception. I didn't doubt for a second that he would do well in this upcoming game.

. . . . . . . . . .

As the days passed, the bond between Derek and I pieced itself back together to the point where it seemed that it wasn't fractured in the first place. We were back to being comfortable with each other and getting along. It was almost even better now than it was before the fight. I felt that we understood each other a little more and grew closer in the process. Having Derek back as an important somebody proved the saying, "You don't know what you've got until it's gone" to be true. But in this case, I'm glad that we were friends again.

In addition, there was another bonus, though unexpected, to our reconciliation. Now that I spent most of my time in Derek's company whenever my loyal friends were absent, Melinda's followers mainly left me alone, which took away some of my stress, leaving more room to worry about fast-approaching midterms.

During one afternoon, I pulled out my math notes, hoping to prep for my upcoming exam. However, I spent more time not understanding what I'm supposed to be studying than actually making progress. I sighed as I threw my head back in exasperation. "Agh! I'm no good at math!" I groaned to no one in particular.

A sigh came from across the room. Derek rolled his chair close enough so that he now sat beside me. "What is it now?" he asked, sounding exasperated.

I closed my eyes as I pointed to the question in disgust as though it was a piece of rotten meat. "I don't know how to graph this," I complained. "Tried it, but it doesn't seem right."

Derek glanced over at my practice exam. "'Solve three x squared plus x minus two equals zero for x'," he read as his eyes drifted down the page to my attempted answer. "Mind telling me how the hell you ended up with x equals zero?"

I shrugged. "Most of the time, the harder the question, the simpler the answer. So, I put down zero."

He gave me a disbelieving look. "_Wow_. You've always complained that you were bad at math, but I didn't realize that you were _this_ bad."

I glowered up at him as I crossed my arms. "Thanks for pointing that out, genius," I said drily as I nodded towards the question sheet, my irritation fading away to dread. "Just kill me now. Make it quick and painless, please?"

Derek rolled his eyes at me. "Leave the drama for your theatrics class. But back to the question. It's not that bad, _really._"

I sighed as I took another hateful look at the problem. "Fine. But you mind going through it, so I can somewhat understand what I'm supposed to do?" I asked. "Please? I kind of don't want to fail this exam."

Derek crossed his arms as he pretended to think it over. Finally as a long minute passed by with him pretending to be in deep thought, I groaned and I slapped his arm. "Derek!" I exclaimed in exasperation. "I'm dying here."

A small chuckle escaped from his mouth as his eyes danced with amusement. I huffed, feeling slightly annoyed. "If you're not going to help, I'm going to ask Tori instead," I told him as I backed away from the desk and stood up.

Derek stopped laughing, but his lips still twitched in good humour. "Sorry, don't be mad. I'll help you," he said as he nodded to my chair. "Sit down and I'll explain."

And he did explain it. Better than my math teacher did, anyway. As he went over how to do the problem, I watched him as he explained, the fire alight in his eyes. It was a little funny, how someone could get so riled up about a boring subject like math, but it was evident that he enjoyed the never-ending challenge of never-ending problems. "Now that I've gone through how to do it, let's see you try this next problem," Derek said suddenly.

I frowned as I saw another difficult problem come up, but I swallowed a protest. Derek was kind enough to sacrifice some of his studying time to help me, so might as well show him the result of his teachings.

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself and looked at the question. _Alright, I can do this. Derek went over stuff like this._ I took the pencil in my hand as I worked out the problem. I was conscious of the fact that Derek had gone still beside me as he watched my every movement with his radiant forest-green eyes. _I can't let him down._ I continued to hack away at the problem, growing confident as I did so. Finally, there was nothing more to do as I finished drawing out the graph with it's labelled x-intercepts. I slid the paper over to Derek, feeling less confident than I felt earlier. "H-here," I said, trying to keep the nervousness out of my voice.

I held my breath as Derek looked it over, making the calculations in his head. The whole room was silent as he did so, but my heart pounded so loudly that he could probably hear it. After a few minutes of elongated silence, he handed the paper back to me, his face unreadable. I swallowed thickly as I waited for his feedback. "How did I do?" I asked, my voice small.

I watched as Derek's lips widened in a crooked smile that grew bigger with every passing second. Finally, he gave me a full-blown grin that made me blink in surprise. "You got it down pat. I'd give you full marks," he said, pride evident in his voice.

I recovered from my shock and grinned back at him. "Really? Thanks so much!" I exclaimed as I looked back at my question sheet. "Wow, I feel motivated to do some more."

Derek chuckled. "Well that's good. If you keep those steps in mind, you should do fine," he said.

"Yeah, thanks for your help," I added.

He nodded. "You're welcome... roomie."

I blinked as Derek turned his back to me and rolled his chair back to his desk. _Did he just say what I think he said?_ I thought to myself as I stared at him. Not only was this the first time that he had said something like that to me, but it also happened to be the exact line that I had said to him, all of those weeks ago, when I had saved Derek from a group of jealous second-string jocks. Slowly, I felt a smile grow on my face. _It's good to have you back, Derek._

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><p><strong>AN: Well, that's that. It was pretty fluffy in my opinion, but it feels like it has been a really long time since we've had some Chlerek, so I couldn't resist! The next chapter will continue the drama that Chloe's in, and from here, I hope things will go a lot quicker, since the part that I'm dying to get to should be here soon. All of this has just been a buildup to it, so I hope you guys will look forward to that (despite not knowing exactly what it is). If you noticed any typos/mistakes/grammar stuff that I need to correct in this chapter, feel free to let me know! I'm always looking to improve my writing for future readers, so it'd be a huge help! Before I log off for the night (or I should say extremely early morning), I wanted to recommend this awesome song that I've been listening to on repeat as a motivation for writing this chapter: Hiding Place by Hedley . Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you'll look forward to my next update!**_  
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	15. Bball Lessons with the MVP

**A/N: Hi guys! Happy late valentine's day! Hope you guys had a fun day. Thanks for all of the awesome reviews that I received for the last chapter. As I read it over, I was a little afraid that there was a little too much fluff, but it seems that you guys enjoyed it, which is always great. I'm currently on a week-long break from post-secondary (due to no spring break for us), so it's a great time to get some writing done. Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy!**

**Disclaimer; I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 15: B-ball lessons from the MVP<strong>

"So, is your aunt or your dad coming to Parents' Day?" Liz asked one day as we headed to our lockers after a long school day.

I shook my head as I unlocked my locker and dumped my books inside. "Nah, they both apologized over email and said that they couldn't make it back for the event," I answered as I bent down to look through a pile of fallen papers, hoping to find the handout that I threw in the other day. "What about you guys?"

Tori snorted as she leaned against the row of lockers. "My mother isn't showing up for my sake, but rather she doesn't want to tarnish her public image," she said, rolling her eyes.

I glanced over at Tori, who wore an indifferent expression, but I knew that her mom's attitude toward her hurt her to some extent. When we were kids, Mrs. Enright was hardly ever around due to work. But even when she was, Tori would stop whatever she was doing at the time to welcome her mom back. However, no matter what Tori did to attempt to please her, Mrs. Enright always found some fault with her daughter. Even when Tori did more than her fair share of the chores, Mrs. Enright would always scold her for not thinking of helping out more around the house. It just seemed that she was never satisfied with her daughter.

As kids, Tori's moods swung every time her mom chewed her out. There was some anger, but mainly, it was sadness. No matter what she did, she just couldn't make her mom happy. During these times, Liz and I knew enough of what went on in the Enright household. As a result, we reached a silent agreement that whenever Tori was upset, we would get together and have a girls' sleepover. While we couldn't replace her mom, I think it made Tori a little happier to know the fact that we loved her and that she would always have a place with us.

Tori met my eye and frowned, her brown eyes narrowing at my look. "_What_?"

I shook my head and gave her a small smile. "Nothing," I said as I went back to rummaging through my locker.

Now that she was no longer a child, her mother's indifference to her didn't hurt as much as it used to. Instead of wondering what she was doing wrong or why her mother never accepted her, Tori started to realize that there was nothing wrong with her at all; it was all her mom. I think that there's still a small part of Tori that is still hopeful for Mrs. Enright's affections, but it wasn't as dominant as it used to be.

"What about you, Liz?" I asked as I finally found my wrinkled handout and smoothed it out as best as I could against the locker door.

Liz shifted her messenger bag to her other shoulder. "My nana and my mom are coming, since my mom has been wanting to see my school ever since she got out of rehab," she said softly, her expression gentle.

I turned to face her. "Really? How is she?"

Liz smiled. "Doing a lot better compared to back then," she said.

For as long as I have known Liz, I've also known that her mother had a problem with pills and prescribed drugs. It seemed that she was always on one or the other. I guess it didn't help that she was a single mom, barely able to look after herself, not to mention two kids. As a result, Liz and her younger brother stayed with their grandmother while their mom went to get things sorted out. But it seemed that Ms. Delaney was finally getting better.

I guess another reason why the three of us got along so naturally was due to the mutual connection of family issues. I had lost my mom when I was younger, due to a car accident, but I also had more than a decade to get over her death. Aunt Lauren was her younger sister, so she stepped in as my mother-figure. While she could be a little overbearing sometimes, I still loved her a lot.

I closed my locker as I lifted my messenger bag onto my shoulder. "So Parents' Day is the day after tomorrow, right?" I asked as I mentally flipped through the calendar to realize that it was a Saturday.

Liz nodded as she waved for us to walk. "Yeah, since it's a weekend, we'll have the whole day to show them around. The school usually has activities as well as refreshments in the cafeteria," she said as a grin came across her features. "Since it's Parents' Day, it'll be good food too."

Tori smirked. "Thank god for that."

I laughed as we went down the hallway and stopped at the staircase leading to the lower floor. "Anyway, you guys go on ahead; Derek offered to give me basketball lessons in the gym," I told them as I shifted my bag.

Liz smiled. "Wow. That's nice of him to offer his time," she remarked while Tori rolled her eyes.

"Well Liz, you have a different gym period, so you've never seen Chloe on the court. What she does half the time isn't even basketball."

I sent Tori a mock-glare. "Just you wait. I'm getting lessons from the MVP himself. Next time on the court, you'll be looking at me in a whole different light," I challenged.

Tori grinned. "We'll see. I still think that no matter how many lessons you get from Derek, you still won't beat me."

Liz rolled her eyes at us both. "Whatever you guys," she said as she brushed back a golden strand of hair. "You should go before Derek thinks that you forgot about him."

I nodded. "Right. See you guys."

I hurried down the stairs and into the gym. Looking around the room, it seemed that Derek wasn't here yet. _That's odd. I thought I was late. But apparently, he's even later than I am._ I thought as I headed into the change room to change out of my uniform. Once I was finished, I peeked into the room to see that once again, the room was vacant, except for a lone basketball sitting forgotten in the far corner. _Oh well, might as well get something done._ I jogged over to the ball and dribbled for a few minutes.

About five minutes later, the gym door clanked open, the sound echoing in the otherwise empty room. I spun around, startled, to see Derek entering the room in a bit of a hurry. Upon seeing me, he slowed to a walk, looking slightly out of breath. "Hey. Sorry I'm late," he said as he placed his gym bag down on the ground. "Wanted to ask the teacher something."

I smiled. "No problem."

Derek glanced at my gym uniform and nodded. "Yeah, just give me a sec," he rumbled as he grabbed some clothes before entering the change room.

I went back to some self-practice but when the creak of the change room door opened, I turned to see that Derek had changed into a white wife beater and a pair of sweats.

Normally whenever I watched Derek practice in the insanely-early mornings, he normally wore a baggy tee. Even in the room, he wore an oversized hoodie or a baggy shirt to sleep. But now, I stared. I couldn't help it. Derek looked _good_; he was more filled out than I gave him credit for. Derek's upper arms were extremely well-defined; his chiseled triceps, biceps and whatever "eps" he had stood out without sleeves to cover them up. With only a thin layer of fabric shielding him, I could only imagine that the rest of his body was as equally filled out. _Damn. Being a jock has some advantages, huh?_ I thought as my cheeks heated. _I bet he has really nice abs too._

I froze at the image, my heart pumping loud enough that it was now echoing in my head. _Whoa, Chloe! Slooooow down. He's your __friend__ remember? Get a grip on yourself and stop thinking traitorous thoughts already._ I swallowed tightly as I dragged my eyes away from him. I glanced down to the ball in my hands... only to realize that I had dropped it when I was too busy staring at Derek only moments before. Looking around the room, I saw that the ball rolled across the floor over to Derek, who reached down and gracefully scooped it up with one hand. My stomach flipped as Derek tossed a crooked half-smile my way. "You ready?"

Wordlessly, I nodded. "Right. So, let's see your dribbling," Derek said as he stood in front of me, all six-something of him.

He did a chest pass and I fumbled to catch the ball, my hands stinging at the impact. I started to dribble the ball a few times before Derek cut in.

"Stop, you're doing that wrong."

I frowned at him as I stopped. "What do you mean? There can't be a wrong way to dribble the ball," I retorted.

He gave me a look that said that I was being stupid. "Oh yes there is. You're supposed to dribble with your wrist, not your whole arm. That way, you would have more control of the ball and your entire arm wouldn't be straining. Here, let me show you."

I passed the ball back to Derek and he demonstrated what he was talking about. Indeed, it was merely his hand that was bouncing the ball up and down, instead of his whole arm. There was some movement in his forearm, but not as much as mine. Derek stopped and passed the ball to me. "Now you try," he said.

I took the ball and started to dribble, conscious that Derek was watching me closely. Dribbling with just my wrist turned out to be easier than what I was doing previously. "Okay good. Now alternate hands every now and then," Derek instructed.

I changed from my right hand to my less dominant hand and the results weren't as good, but still bearable. Next Derek had me running up and down the gym while dribbling. This was where it was troublesome, since my hand-eye coordination while running wasn't very good. The ball often went running away from me, but Derek was patient in his teachings. I felt that I spent more time running after the ball than actually doing basketball drills, but I guess that it was better to start slow and get the basics down.

After, we worked on passing. I faced the wall as Derek stood behind me, gently correcting me as we went along. "For a chest pass, you should stick your elbows out to the side as you draw your hands in towards your chest," he said as he watched me. "A little more... no, that's too much... raise your arms higher... stop there."

I glanced back at him. "Now what?"

"The ball should be resting slightly against your fingertips. Don't grasp the ball; it'll be harder to release it if you do."

As I tried what he said, the ball fell onto the ground and rolled away. I sighed as I chased after the ball and brought it back to the original spot. "Here, try it again," Derek said as he stepped closer.

I swallowed thickly as I felt his nearness. I could feel his warmth radiating off of his skin, despite not having done much physical activity other than demonstrating the movements. As he reached around me to position the ball, I held my breath as my mind suddenly became a little disoriented with his arms around me. It almost felt like a hug from behind. _Almost_. "Chloe?"

I snapped back to attention at the mention of my name. I glanced back at Derek, who peered down at me with concern lingering in his emerald irises. "You okay? Do you want to stop?" he asked.

I shook my head. "S-sorry. No, I'm fine. Let's continue," I told him as I gave myself a mental shake to concentrate on the task at hand.

"Right. So then you push your hands forward and release the ball."

I did as he said and the ball sailed horizontally through the air, bounced off the wall and fell on the ground a few feet away. Derek nodded approvingly. "That's it. Next time, try to make it come to you."

I practiced the passes for the next little while. After the 30 minute mark, we took a water break. I was already pretty wiped out from all the exercising that I wasn't used to, but I wasn't going to complain. As I drank out of my water bottle, the phone in my uniform pocket buzzed, indicating that I had mail. Wondering who it was, I reached into my bag and unlocked my phone. Instantly, the screen came to life and the message opened automatically. Upon seeing the sender's name, a smile tugged on the corners of my mouth. It was Nate.

_Got back a day early. I want to see you. Will wait for you at the dorm lobby._

My heart sped up at the message. It's been a week since I last saw Nate, so I wanted to see him too. Especially now that he was my boyfriend. But as I thought about him, I realized that the basketball lesson wasn't over. We had agreed for an hour long lesson. As much as I wanted to see him, I didn't want to leave halfway through the lesson. Not only was it a horrible thing to do to a friend (and I've learned that particular lesson the hard way), but Derek also offered his time and patience, to which I said yes. A small frown crossed my face at the thought that I wouldn't be able to see Nate right away, but I shook away that feeling. _There's no rush. I'll just see him later._ I sent back a quick reply telling him that I was busy and that I would have to see him later.

After sending the message, I took another swig of water and stood up. "Alright, I'm good," I told Derek, who capped his water bottle and set it on the bench.

"Who was that?" he asked, his tone curious. "You looked happy."

I shrugged. "Just Nate. He returned a day early," I said nonchalantly.

Derek frowned, the crease between his eyebrows darkening. "Don't you want to see him?" he asked, slightly confused.

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm good. I'll see him later anyway, so it doesn't matter," I replied as I picked up the basketball and dribbled lightly. "So what else do you want to teach me, Coach?"

A small smile played on Derek's lips as he swiped the ball from me. "How about shooting?" he suggested, to which I agreed.

We then spent the rest of our lesson going over shooting drills. Turns out that there were some specifics involved, such as the angle of your hands and how much power you used, but generally, it was interesting. I also learned to shoot properly, with a flick of the wrist like Derek showed me. "Just aim for the backboard and if you hit it the right way, then the ball should go in," he instructed me.

It took me a lot of tries, but eventually, I was able to judge how much power I needed to use. After nearly twenty minutes, I was finally able to score once. I gasped as I saw the ball fall swiftly through the net and bounce off the floor, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent gym. "Did you see that?" I asked excitedly as I retrieved the ball.

Derek nodded approvingly, a smile evident on his face. "Yeah. You did good on that one," he said, his tone prideful.

I shot him a grin as I glanced back at the net, which was now motionless. "You know, I might just turn out to be an awesome basketball player," I said cheerfully.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself just yet. You still got a long way to go," he replied, his tone almost exasperated.

I rolled my eyes back at him. "I know," I shot back. "I was just kidding."

"But you never know... with a little hard work and determination, you could turn out to be a decent player."

I blinked at his words. "You think so?"

He nodded. "Although we're not quite progressing as fast as I'd like, you're working hard."

I smiled at his praise. "Thanks. Now that I know the basics properly, hopefully things will progress faster. Now I'm kind of pumped for gym class," I said, feeling better that I no longer sucked as much as I used to. "So, what next?"

Derek shook his head. "Nah, we're ending here for today," he said.

I raised my eyebrow at him in confusion. "Huh? There's still ten minutes left," I pointed out.

"That's okay. You've done plenty today, so there's no point in overworking yourself," Derek told me. "Besides, don't you want to see Nate?"

His tone was light, almost as if he didn't mind that I wanted to be with his archenemy. But as I rolled his words over in my head, I realized that that wasn't it. It wasn't that he wanted me to go to Nate exactly, but he knew that I wanted to see him after a long week. In addition, it would make me happy too. A slow smile spread on my face at this realization. While Derek didn't like Nate, he trusted me to be careful and therefore, he left it up to my judgement. "Yeah, I do," I admitted as a soft blush crept up my cheeks. "Thanks Derek."

Derek nodded wordlessly as he took the basketball from my hands, while I went to change back into my clothes. As I left the change room, I saw that Derek also changed back and was now packing up his bag. I lifted the messenger bag onto my shoulder as I turned to face him. "Thanks for the lesson, Derek," I said softly as he looked up.

"You're welcome," he replied.

I gave him a small smile. "I'll see you later."

Derek answered with a grunt and I left the school building. As I hurried excitedly over to the dorms, I shivered at the loss of heat from the gym. _It's getting colder... but I guess this is typical of fall._ I thought as I wrapped my blazer tighter around my body.

Upon entering Dorm C's building, a wave of heat greeted me and I felt myself relax now that I was out of the wind. As always, the dorm lobby was occupied and busy with dorm life. Off to the side of the dorm was a ping pong table and there was a small crowd surrounding the table, taking sides. In the middle sat a circle of sofas and love seats where students usually hung out after classes ended. As I approached the sitting area, I spotted a familiar head of red-flame hair standing out from the others.

Nate was surrounded by people as always as he said something to which they laughed. As he continued in telling them whatever he was saying, his eye suddenly caught mine and he paused. Then he gave me a fresh blazing smile and excused himself from the others. "Hey," I breathed as he stopped in front of me.

"Hey yourself. I missed you," Nate greeted as he opened his arms wide for a hug.

With only a small moment of hesitation, I stepped into his embrace and his arm wrapped around me tightly. After a few cat calls and whistles from his friends, Nate released me and rolled his eyes. "Let's go some place quieter, shall we?" he suggested to which I agreed.

We retreated to the corner of the lounge room, where it was mainly vacant except for one or two freshmen doing their own stuff. As Nate approached the area, the they looked up and he gave them a nod of greeting. They returned his nod with a small smile, but that froze upon seeing me. They quickly averted their eyes and gathered up their things before leaving us alone. Nate frowned at the action but waved me to the loveseat, where he sat down next to me.

At one point, I would have been flustered at his nearness, but by now, I slowly grew comfortable to his warmth. "So, how was your trip?" I asked as Nate rolled his eyes.

"Bored me to tears. I hate attending these types of ceremonies, but it couldn't be helped. I mainly spent most of the time either sight-seeing or ordering room service," he told me with a smile. "The food was good though."

I laughed as his smile suddenly faded, his eyes growing concerned. "What about you? I've heard... some things that went on while I was gone," Nate said quietly as he rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand in lazy circles.

I turned to look at him in surprise. "You heard about that?"

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, just now when Corey told me," he explained as his eyes were filled with hurt and sadness. "Why didn't you tell me when I texted you during the week?"

I shook my head slowly as I thought back to my long week of bullying and being the social outcast of the school. There were times that I wanted to tell Nate and have him comfort me, but at the same time, I didn't want to hide behind him, making the others think of me as a coward. Not to mention how much I would have disliked the feeling of being helpless and unable to defend myself.

"I didn't want to worry you," I answered him. Which was also true. "Besides, it's not like some childish bullying will make me give you up."

Nate answered me with a small sad smile as his hand enveloped mine. I blushed at the contact, thinking that it was the first time I ever held hands with a guy, but when I felt his strong calloused fingers intertwine with mine, I felt that embarrassment disappear as the warmth from his fingers flowed into mine. "It's not that bad really," I added as I looked down at our hands.

Nate slipped his free hand under my chin and tilted it upwards so that I was now looking at him. "I'll talk to Melinda about it, but I'm not sure how well that will go," he said softly.

I nodded. "Sure," I replied, grateful that he would do that for me. "So, how does it feel to be back?"

"Pretty good, though I'm not looking forward to all the exams and homework that I missed. Speaking of which, what were you up to when I texted you? I wanted your face to be the first face that I saw when I came back."

An apologetic smile crept on my face as I thought back to the basketball lesson with Derek. While I was a little disappointed that I couldn't have seen Nate right away, I knew that I did the right thing by continuing the lesson that Derek had so kindly offered. "Sorry, I was getting some basketball lessons from Derek," I told him.

A strange expression flickered on Nate's face, but it vanished too quickly for me to decipher it. Instead, Nate settled with a look of surprise. "You guys made up?" he asked.

I nodded as my smile widened naturally. "Yup. I'm really happy about it too. It was all just a big misunderstanding... mainly on my part, but I'm glad that we got things sorted out," I explained, thinking back to my apology, nearly a week ago.

Nate gave a small chuckle. "I see a lot of things happened while I was gone. So, basketball lessons huh?"

We chatted for a long time, making up for the time that we missed during Nate's absence and I helped with some of his missed homework. It was great to have him back.

. . . . . . . . . .

The next day went pretty smoothly as the bullying attempts lessened even more with Nate's return. Although we didn't have any classes together that day, he still walked me from class to class, even if that made him late for his own. As a result, Melinda's group didn't have any time to sabotage me with his presence.

In the last handful of minutes during my last class of the day, creative writing, I glanced periodically at the clock, seeing my weekend looming. The rest of the students chatted excitedly about their weekend plans or about Parents' Day which took place tomorrow. Since Lyle Academy was a boarding school, most kids didn't get to see their parents very often, so tomorrow's event would give them some time to reunite. As I drummed my fingers impatiently on my desk, the teacher, Mr. Taylor, cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention.

"Alright you guys, stop talking. It's not the end of class just yet. There's still one more thing that I have to announce: the short story writing project that will be done in partners," he announced.

The class groaned at his words. He had been hinting at it for the past few classes, but we had still hoped that his old age had somehow allowed him to conveniently forget about it. No such luck. However, seeing that there was no way out of this project, our eyes started to roam around the room, mentally picking partners. I turned around to meet Liz's eyes and flashed her a grin. In this class, we were partners for any type of partnered work and this wouldn't be any different. However, Mr. Taylor dropped the bomb that hardly any of us had expected.

"I've chosen your partners for you, so no need to pick your own," he added.

Another groan, this time louder than the last. There were a few protests, since he normally let us choose our own, but when he made up his mind, it was hard to change it. Liz's face fell, her expression mirroring mine. If we're getting our partners picked, it was extremely unlikely that we would end up with each other. As Mr. Taylor read from his list of the chosen partners, one by one, the students left their seats to join their chosen partner to discuss their project. As Liz's name was read out along with another name that wasn't mine, I sighed unhappily as she gave me a sympathetic smile and left to join her partner.

Finally, there was only one more group to be called out. As I turned around to see who was still left, my heart suddenly froze as a pair of striking icy blue eyes stared back at me, the waves of loathing slicing through the space between us. I swallowed thickly at the realization of who I was partnered up with.

"Chloe Saunders and Melinda Fawkes."

_Oh crap._

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><p><strong>AN: Well, it's not really a cliff-hanger, but I can say that from now on, things will move a lot faster (at least I hope so). Normally by this length, I would have started to slowly wrap things up, but I'm far from being done with this fic. Is that a good or bad thing? Hahaha, I keep thinking that at the rate that I'm going, it's going to end up being the length of a full young-adult novel (or at least close in word count). Anyway, I wanted to give a huge shoutout to all of my readers and reviewers! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! (in no particular order)**

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><strong>

**And of course, my anonymous people:**

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**I apologize if I missed anyone! Just let me know and I'll add you. :) Anyway, hope you'll look forward to the next one!**


	16. Left Behind

**A/N: Hi everyone! I apologize for taking so long to update! It's been a terrible week. I went through two midterms with one of them being much easier than the other and it didn't help that I was sick for most of the week as well. Thank you all so so much for continuing to support me and read my story! You have no idea what that means to me. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: Left Behind<strong>

As the bell rang and everyone else left the room in high spirits, I picked up the project handout and hurried over to the teacher's desk. Mr. Taylor watched my approach and frowned at me, his glasses sliding down his nose bridge as he did so. He held up a hand before I could even opened my mouth. "I know what you are going to ask, and the answer is no," he said, his tone saying that he wouldn't change his mind.

"But you don't understand," I complained, hating how whiny I sounded. "Melinda and I... we don't get along. It'll never work out."

Mr. Taylor only raised an eyebrow at me. "That's why these partner projects are created; to learn more about each other. Place the two most unlikely people to get along and surprisingly, they'll make peace with each other."

My eyebrows furrowed as I gave him what I hoped was a pitiful look. "_Please,_ Mr. Taylor. I'm begging you to change my partner," I pleaded. "Or at least let me do this on my own."

He shook his head stubbornly. "No, I'm sorry, but I won't change my mind. Even in the future, you will have to work with those that you don't like. Might as well start learning how to cooperate with others now," he said, his tone saying that our discussion was over. "You don't see it now, but I assure you, it'll become a valuable skill one day."

My shoulders slumped in defeat as I mumbled goodbye and slung my messenger bag over my shoulder. Liz waited at the door and noticed my forlorn expression. "It didn't go well, huh?" she commented softly as we exited the classroom.

I sighed as I thought of being partners with Melinda. "Yeah."

Liz patted my shoulder sympathetically as we walked down the hallway, dodging clusters of students that were goofing around. "You never know, something good might come out of this," she said optimistically.

I gave her a look. "I seriously doubt that. I could definitely feel that killing aura of hers halfway across the room. There's no way I'm going to get out of this unscathed. Knowing her, Melinda would probably try and sabotage me," I remarked.

Liz raised an eyebrow. "The project is like ten percent of our final grade. I don't think that she'd do that," she pointed out. "Besides, Melinda doesn't really look it, but her writing skills are pretty impressive."

"Really? That's a little hard to believe."

Liz smiled. "It is, but might as well take this opportunity and get to know her a little better."

I shrugged at her words. Somehow, I still didn't think that that would work out as nicely as Liz sounded, but I guess I could give it a shot. "We'll see," I told her.

Although Melinda was the last person at Lyle Academy that I wanted to be partners with, Liz did have a point. I should give her a chance. Maybe if she saw that I wasn't retaliating, she would lay off just a little. Besides, the project was due in two weeks; I was bound to have figured out something by then.

. . . . . . . . . .

Parents' Day came quickly and by the time I got up, I could hear the music blasting cheerfully out on campus through the wall. Stifling a yawn, I glanced sleepily around the room and saw that Derek was already up, cleaning his share of the room. "Good morning," I mumbled as I lifted the covers off of me and got up.

He glanced back at me. "Morning. Any relative of yours coming in today?" he asked as he tidied up some loose papers.

I shook my head as I reached for my brush on my bedside table and began to brush away my bed hair. "Nope. You?"

"Yeah. My dad should be here soon. Anyway, I'm going down to breakfast to meet him. You wanna come along?" Derek asked as he filed those papers away in his drawer.

I looked from Derek's side of the room to mine and winced at my untidiness. Not only did I have random papers shoved underneath my bed, I also had random articles of clothing draped on practically every set of furniture on my side. "I'm guessing that your dad would probably want to see this room, huh?" I mumbled. "Nah, you go on ahead; I'm going to clean up a bit."

Derek gave my side of the room a fleeting glance and the corners of his mouth twitched, as though vetoing a smile at the last minute. "That sounds like a good idea," he said lightly as he edged towards the door. "After all, it seems that you can hardly ever find anything with that mess."

I took my pillow and threw it at him in mock-anger, but it hit the closing door as Derek slipped out, leaving me alone in our shared room. Upon retrieving the fallen projectile, I took another peek at the room and sighed. "Might as well get started," I murmured as I began to tidy things up.

An hour later, with much cleaning done, I was hungry and headed down to the cafeteria. Seeing that it was past breakfast, the cafeteria was mainly empty, with only one or two people hanging around, which meant that their parents didn't show up for the event either. I got an order of deluxe blueberry pancakes drizzled with honey-orange syrup, which proved that Liz was right when she said that the school offered better food with the parents around.

As I enjoyed the rare tasty meal, I looked out the window, where I saw kids and their parents all around campus. While some of them seemed the type that was too cool to be seen with their parents, I could see from their shy expressions that they really did love seeing them and having them around. It seemed like a really big event since from what I could tell, the guest parking lot was completely filled up and there was a lot of activities going on in the school as well.

I kind of wished that my dad could have made it, since I rarely saw him at home. He was normally too busy working, but he always made sure to take some time off to make up for his absence. Speaking of which, I realized that he was overdue to make a visit. _I'll ask him about that later._ I thought as I carried my now-empty tray back to the counter and drained the last of my orange juice.

As I exited the cafeteria, I saw that the hallway was crowded with parents and students alike. I saw one familiar dark head and I smiled. It was Tori. I gestured madly at her and after a few unsuccessful attempts, Tori finally looked in my direction and gave me a smile. Beside her, Mrs. Enright looked like an older version of her daughter. They both had the same dark shade of hair, cropped stylishly short and they both shared the same tall slender figure. On Mrs. Enright's arm was a Macy's bag while she chatted furiously into her phone, a familiar image that I remembered from when I last lived in Oakridge. I could remember thinking that it was permanently glued to her ear since she was hardly ever seen without it.

I watched as Tori tried to get her mother's attention by jabbing emphatically at the pamphlet, probably trying to tell her something about the school, but Mrs. Enright ignored her and moved down the hallway, out of my sight. Tori rolled her eyes at me in exasperation and followed after her moments later.

_Well, evidently, some things don't change... even after eight years._ I dodged the group of people as I headed outside, wondering what to do. In the distance, I could hear muffled sounds of shouting and laughter as a few kids hung out in the sports field, playing basketball. Seeing the ball being dribbled up and down the court, I thought back to what Derek had taught me yesterday. "Since no one else is free to hang out, might as well get some practising done," I murmured to myself.

Deciding that it would be a good idea, I turned around and headed towards the gym, which would most likely be empty since most of the parent-student activities took place on the main floor whereas the gym was on the lower floor. As I pushed the heavy gym door open, the sound of a basketball hitting the ground echoed in the room. _Someone's here?_ I thought as I poked my head inside.

In the brightly lit gym, I watched as a guy attempted a layup, his body arching to get the leverage he needed to get the ball into the net. Before gravity pulled him back down, it seemed as though he was suspended in air for those few seconds and I watched, mesmerized by the action. The ball went through the net successfully and fell to the ground a few feet away from him. As the guy wiped his arm across his forehead and turned, I realized with a heartbeat that it was Nate.

Sweat dripped down his face, but somehow that made his eyes look all the more vibrant. However, I couldn't help but notice the creases on his forehead, as though he was thinking hard about something. When Nate retrieved the ball and turned back to face the net, his eyes suddenly met mine and he stopped. Nate's eyebrows arched in brief surprise before an easy smile fell on his face. "Hey," he said, his voice echoing in the empty room.

I returned his smile as I slipped inside and approached him. "Hey yourself," I replied. "Doing some self-practice?"

Nate nodded as he positioned the basketball under his arm and grabbed a towel from his bag. "Yeah, just trying to improve my skills for next week's big game," he said as he motioned me to the bench a few meters away.

"Your layup was pretty sweet," I commented as Nate gave me his signature heart-stopping smile.

"Thanks," he breathed as he placed the ball at his feet and sat down. "So, what are you doing here?"

I shrugged. "Mainly to get away from all the festivities out there, I guess," I said as I jerked my head towards the school building.

Nate gave a small laugh, but somehow to me, it sounded a little off. Almost even forced. "No one came for you too, huh?" he said.

"Yeah, my mom passed away in a car accident when I was younger and my dad's usually working."

Nate's face scrunched up at my words, pain flickering across his face. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his tone full of sympathy. "I didn't know."

I gave him a small smile to tell him that it wasn't his fault. "It's alright. I'm used to it now," I replied. "What about you?"

Nate's eyes dipped away from me as an unreadable expression crossed his face. "My father... he doesn't really come to these types of school events. He says that they're a 'waste of his time'."

Surprised at the bitterness in his voice, I studied him closely. From what I could see of his strong jawline, it seemed that he was clenching his teeth as he spun the ball absentmindedly in his hands. His eyes looked out across the room, but I could tell that they were distant, as though thinking to the past. "Nate?" I called softly, my voice echoing in the empty gym.

He shook his head as to clear his thoughts and a pained smile slid on his face. "It's no big deal. I'm not a kid who needs his only remaining parent around."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. _Only remaining parent? _It was rare that Nate talked about his family, but somehow I knew that it was a sensitive subject and that I shouldn't pry. However, my confusion must have shown on my face because Nate's smile faded. "My mother left my father and me when I was a kid," he stated.

I'm not sure what expression I made at that moment, but I felt as though someone had squeezed my ribcage so tightly that it cut into my lungs. It hurt to breathe. Nate glanced over at me and gave me a small smile. "I heard from Marie that you saw my mother's portrait in my father's study when I brought you to my house," he said suddenly.

Embarrassment flowed through me as I temporarily forgot about the pain that I had felt for Nate just moments ago. My cheeks coloured. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to peep," I admitted honestly.

Nate shook his head at my apology. "No, that's okay. It was my fault in the first place for leaving you to wander down the halls in a strange house," he said softly. "You must have had some questions about the portrait."

I frowned, uncertain of how far I was able to go. This was Nate's mom that we were talking about. Obviously, things didn't turn out so great for them. However, I could almost feel the load that Nate bore on his shoulders. That unseen weight seemed so unbearable to hold. If I could in any way, I wanted to lessen it for him. But I would let him decide if he wanted me to.

"Not if you don't feel comfortable about it."

He shook his head again. "It's okay."

I remained silent as I mentally tested out the waters. He expected me to ask questions, but what should I ask? How would I make it so that it wasn't as painful as it was?

Seeing my hesitation, Nate gave a short sharp laugh, as to calm his nerves. "Not sure where to start, right? Well, let's start with my mother's portrait. Her name is Annabelle Bozian. She had always loved the arts. After I was born, her father had her pose while someone drew her portrait. When I was younger, I could remember her painting away like she had all the time in the world. When she wasn't, she would bake in the kitchen alongside Marie. I loved her white chocolate cranberry cookies. And I loved that she made them solely for me. My father was never around, so I got to eat them all. I always thought that she was happy being here with Marie and me, but I guess it wasn't enough.

"The truth was that she felt my father's absence heavier than anyone else did, including me. I knew early on that my father didn't really have an interest in having a family, but did so for his public image. My mother was lonely without him. Without me realizing it, my mother was miserable living in large house where her husband rarely came home. By the time my tenth birthday came around, I celebrated it together with my mother and Marie, but that was my last birthday with her," Nate told me, his eyes distant.

I didn't dare to breathe as I listened to his heart-breaking story. I already knew how it ended.

Nate swallowed thickly as he continued his story. "The next day, I came home from school to find that my mother had made an extra large batch of white chocolate cranberry cookies. I didn't know anything at that time, but I was delighted. We spent the evening playing games together and she helped me with my homework. Later that night when I dozed off, she carried me back to bed.

"As she tucked me in, I could remember faintly that my mother told me that she loved me and that she was proud of me. Then she pressed a slip of paper into my hands and told me that she was sorry. I was too far gone to realize the meaning behind what my mother was saying, but I remember thinking that what ever she was sorry for, I would forgive her for it because I loved her. And that was the last time I ever saw her."

The tears that had blurred my vision now flowed down my face as I envisioned a ten-year old Nate coming home from school to realize that his mother had stepped out of his life. Although he wouldn't look at me, I could tell that he was trying hard to hold back his tears.

"My mother wanted a happier life. And she couldn't have done that if I was there with her, a constant reminder of the neglect she had faced during the times that my father left her to pursue his career. That slip of paper that she gave me was a number to contact her, but when I showed it to my father, who finally came home a few days later, he angrily ripped it to pieces and told me that she had no place in our lives again," Nate added as his voice cracked at the last line.

Wordlessly, I wrapped my arms around Nate and hugged him tightly. I could feel his body tremble and his confident, charming armour chipping away to reveal the lonely boy underneath. He wanted so badly to be wanted and loved. He was abandoned by his mother and neglected by his father. Although my father and my aunt Lauren were constantly busy with work, I knew they loved me. Annabelle Bozian obviously loved her son, but in the end, she chose her freedom over him.

We stayed like that for a few minutes until I felt that the tremors stopped and Nate regained his composure. When he turned to face me, it pained me to see that his eyes were red from the silent tears that he had shed just moments ago. He gave me a weak smile as he straightened. "Haha, I'm so uncool right now," he joked humorlessly.

I shook my head wordlessly as Nate swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he did so. His smile faded as he glanced towards the empty gym. "I feel like a jerk for asking this, after you stayed with me through that, but I'd like to be alone right now," he said, his voice cracking.

I took a deep breath as I wiped my sleeve across my damp eyelashes. I knew that he needed some time to collect his thoughts, so I just said, "Sure."

As I headed towards the gym entrance, I turned back to see Nate's lone figure standing in the middle of the gym, a basketball in his hands. Never before has he looked so small. Sniffling away the last of my tears, I exited the gym.

_I'm here for you._

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><p><strong>AN: I know most of you are probably tired of Nate at this point, but I needed to get his backstory out there. I had originally planned for more in this chapter, but like I've said before in previous chapters, it just wanted to end here. I'll try for a longer chapter in my next update to make up for the shortness of this one. I'll definitely do my best to update sooner because we're getting closer and closer to one of the most important events in this whole fanfic. I can't wait to get it out. Anyway, please look forward to my next update!  
><strong>

**By the way, do any of you guys have a blog? I've recently made one of my own (which the link can be found under Homepage on my profile page) and would love to check out what everyone else does with theirs.  
><strong>


	17. A Father's Love

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for all of your awesome reviews! I loved hearing from all of you especially after my hard week. It's rare that I update this quickly between updates, but since this is a special week, I decided to make an exception and post earlier than I normally would have. This is also my longest chapter yet! Anyway, you can definitely look forward to a bunch of really interesting things in this chapter. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: A Father's Love<strong>

After washing my face in the girls' bathroom on the lower level, I decided that there wasn't much point in being in the school building since there was nothing for me to do, so I headed back up to the main level. Upon climbing the stairs, sounds of activity throughout the school slowly crescendo-ed with each step. As I reached the top stair, I looked around to see parents milling around with their kids, giving off a warm and happy feeling about them. Thinking back to Nate being alone in the gym, I felt another pang of sorrow. I wanted to stay with him while he was upset, but I also knew that he needed some time alone so he could collect his thoughts.

As I stood there, a familiar voice called out to me, "Chloe!"

I turned to see Liz's happy face beaming down at me. I cleared my throat, ridding myself of any sadness that I had felt in the previous minutes. "Oh, hey Liz."

Liz's smile faded as she approached, getting a better look at my face. Her brows furrowed as her azure blue eyes sparkled with concern. "Are you okay? Your eyes are a little red," she pointed out.

I nodded as I gave her a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just got some dust in my eye from the lower level," I lied, not wanting to ruin her joyful mood. "You know how dusty it is down there."

She laughed, her bubbly voice causing my mood to lift. "Yeah, I know how it is. Anyway, if you're not busy, I wanted you to meet my family," she said with a bright grin on her face.

"Sure."

Liz took my arm and led me down the hallway, to where another family stood on the side. Upon closer inspection, I saw a grand motherly figure, a little boy of elementary age and another lady, who I assumed was Liz's mother. "Guys, I want you to meet Chloe, one of my best friends," Liz announced as she brought me closer.

I smiled as I received greetings from all around. Liz's grandmother gave me a closer look as her deep blue eyes crinkled with recognition. Her mouth turned up at the corners as she smiled at me. "Chloe Saunders," she greeted. "You've grown beautifully. I remember you from when you lived here."

My smile broadened. I wasn't sure if Liz's grandmother remembered me, since she was quite elderly, but I was pleased that she did. When Liz's mom was away, Tori and I often went over to Liz's grandmother's house to play and eat her delicious baking treats. They were some of the best that I've ever eaten. And she would often proudly claim that they were a "family recipe passed down through the generations". "Thank you, Nana. It's great to see you doing well," I replied as I gave her a brief hug.

Liz's grandmother nodded as she released me. "And you as well, my dear. It's been such a long time since I've seen you. I'm glad that we came here today," she said as she turned to her daughter. "Julia, Chloe here has been friends with our Liz ever since she lived here in Oakridge."

Liz's mom stepped forward as she gave me a quick handshake. Upon grasping her hand, I couldn't help but realize how fragile she seemed. Liz once told me that her mother was a teenager when Liz was born, so she wasn't as old as most mothers that I knew. But the years of drug abuse definitely took their toll on her. My heart ached for the pain that Liz felt during her mother's absence, but another part of me was happy for her now that her mother was back. Liz's mom gave me a strong smile. "Hello, Chloe. It's nice to finally meet you. Liz has told me a lot about you," she said.

I returned her smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Ms. Delaney."

As Ms. Delaney talked a little more about Liz, the younger boy, Liz's brother, tapped his foot impatiently against the floor. "Are we going to go to your choir room, Liz?" he asked as he looked up at his sister.

Liz grinned down at him. "You sure you wanna go? I might kill your eardrums, Toby," she replied.

Her brother rolled his sea-blue eyes. "I've heard you sing before. It wasn't too bad," he remarked as Ms. Delaney stroked his hair with a look of contentment.

"Well, we can go there now, if you want."

Toby grinned, his smile identical to his sister's. "Yeah!"

As the Delaney family turned to leave, Liz paused suddenly as though she remembered something and turned to face me. "Oh hey, Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"I bumped into Derek earlier and I think he's looking for you," Liz added with a smile.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"

She grinned widened as she nodded emphatically, golden strands of hair bobbing up and down. "Yeah. I'm not completely sure where he is right now, but I think he mentioned that they were going to check out the science areas," she informed me.

A smile crossed my face as I pictured Derek showing his dad the science classrooms and his work area as a lab assistant. I could also imagine the liveliness on his face as he explains what was what. "Gotcha. I'll meet up with you later, 'kay?"

"Sure. See you later."

Going in the opposite direction of Liz and her family, I left the main floor where the art classrooms were located and headed towards the general classrooms which contained sciences and maths. Although it wasn't as heavily populated as the Arts area, there were still plenty of people in the Gen-Ed area. Here, I didn't know most of the kids, but most likely saw them at one point or another due to required classes. Because I was an art student, I mainly took art classes, though I did require to take a few of the general classes such as a science class, math and English.

_Hmmm... I wonder where Derek is exactly. _I thought as I scanned the area while walking. _Liz said that he'd be in the science area, but it's likely that he's not there anymore._ As I rounded the corner to proceed towards the chemistry rooms, I smacked into a wall of flesh and stumbled backwards at the rebound, tripping over my feet as I did so. As I shut my eyes, ready for the hard impact of the ground, I realized after a few moments that it didn't happen. "Chloe?"

I opened my eyes at the familiar deep rumble of Derek's voice and saw Derek's emerald irises looking down at me in surprise. "You okay?" he asked, concern lingering in his voice.

I blinked a few times to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating. Then as my mind came back to reality, I felt strong arms holding me by my waist to prevent me from falling. A blush crept up my cheeks at our closeness. Finally, I stood back on my feet and Derek released me. I swallowed thickly as I thought back to the sensation of his arms around me just moments before. "T-thanks," I stammered as my heart thumped wildly against my rib cage, making it hard for me to think properly.

As Derek opened his mouth to reply, Simon came into a view as he flashed us two thumbs up. "Nice catch, bro," he grinned, making me blush even more.

Derek rolled his eyes at his brother. "Didn't see you trying to help," he mumbled.

Simon shrugged. "I was showing Dad something," he replied as he jerked his head towards one of the science classrooms. "Speaking of which, he's still in there talking to your teachers. Oh hey, I'll be right back. Gotta ask Peter something."

We watched as Simon jogged lightly down the hall to where presumably Peter was. Derek and I exchanged a look and we shared a small smile, erasing my embarrassment of being in Derek's arms just moments ago. I cleared my throat. "I heard from Liz that you were looking for me?" I started.

Derek nodded as he rubbed the neck with his hand. "Yeah.. uh, you busy at the moment?" he asked as he eyes scanned my face.

"Nah, there's nothing to do besides going back to the room. What's up?"

Derek hesitated for a moment as though he was thinking something over. "I wanted to introduce you to my dad," he murmured as he shoved his hands into his jean pockets, somehow looking different from the confident, straight-forward Derek that I had grown accustomed to.

He looked... almost shy. Astounded by his expression, I gaped at him. This was another side of Derek that I didn't know about. One that he kept dormant around the others. When he saw that I didn't reply, Derek quickly backtracked, his eyes glancing anywhere but at me. "Uh... never mind. You probably have something else better to do," he mumbled as he turned to leave.

"No! That's not it," I said quickly as I reached for his arm but paused before actually making contact and settled for tugging on his sleeve instead.

Derek glanced back at me in surprise as I smiled at him. "I'd love to meet your dad," I told him.

Derek blinked a few times as my words sunk in. Then I watched as a smile slowly blossomed upon his lips. "Yeah?" he asked.

I nodded once as a grin spread across my face. "Yeah."

We chatted for a few minutes as we waited for Derek's dad to come out into the hall. When he did, I recognized him immediately because he looked almost exactly like Simon, just an older version with silvering black hair. Mr. Bae looked around my dad's age and when he saw Derek, his almond-shaped eyes crinkled with love and happiness. Derek cleared his throat as he nodded towards me. "Dad, this is Chloe, my roommate," he said.

Mr. Bae looked in my direction and gave me a warm smile, one that I knew well, despite never meeting this man. He held out his hand and I shook it. "I-it's nice to meet you," I said, trying to keep myself from stuttering; I wanted to make a good impression.

"And to you as well, Chloe. I'm glad that we finally got to meet; Derek has told me a lot about you," Mr. Bae said as he looked at his son fondly. "He must have caused you a lot of trouble."

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a faint blush spread over Derek's cheeks as he mumbled something unintelligible and looked away. _Another reaction that I've never seen before..._ I thought as I allowed myself to save this image in my head. It was rare to see so many sides to Derek that I wanted to keep a memory of it. I turned back to Mr. Bae and shook my head. "Oh no, if it's anyone causing trouble, that would be me. Derek looks out for me, which I'm grateful for," I said as I peeked at Derek to gauge his reaction.

His expression was unreadable behind the dark curtain of bangs that shielded his eyes, but he didn't seem displeased by my answer. Mr. Bae looked slightly bewildered at my words, but his surprise melted into another proud look at his son. He clapped his hand on Derek's shoulder. "That's my bud. Never fails to make me proud of him," he commented as Derek rolled his eyes, but I could see that he was happy to be praised.

Mr. Bae then cast a look around the busy hallway. "Now, where did my other son go?" he questioned.

Derek glanced around before pointing him out a few seconds later. "Over there. Should I get him?" he asked as his dad nodded.

"Yeah, that would be good. I thought that all of us could head down for lunch together, if Chloe doesn't mind joining us," Mr. Bae said as he smiled at me.

My cheeks heated at the thought that I was included as well. Since Derek and Simon didn't get to see their dad as often as they would have liked, I had planned on staying out of their way, but now that Mr. Bae invited me, joining them for lunch sounded like fun. _But would Derek or Simon mind?_ I glimpsed at Derek, who met my eyes and gave me a nod. Grinning, I said, "I'd like that."

As Derek jogged down the hall to collect his brother, Mr. Bae turned to me, his expression suddenly serious and apprehensive. "I know that living with Derek must not have been as easy as you made it out to be, but I'm thankful that you've befriended him. He is a great kid, but he doesn't let many people in," he admitted quietly.

I thought back to the beginning when I first found out that I was roomed with not only a guy, but the most feared guy in the whole school. And all of the steps that we took to get to where we were today. "Truthfully, we didn't really get along in the beginning, but after all we've been through, I can say with absolute certainty that I'm glad that I got a chance to get to know him. And that I wouldn't have asked for a better roommate than Derek," I replied. "He's become one of my most important friends."

Mr. Bae gave a fatherly smile as he watched Derek approach with Simon in tow. "Knowing him, I would say that he thinks highly of you as well," he said as he turned to me. "I know this is rather forward of me, but if I may... I would like to ask for a favour from you, Chloe."

Surprised but curious to see where this was going, I nodded. "Yes?"

Mr. Bae hesitated for a moment, as though debating whether to carry on with his request or not. But after a brief moment, he regained his composure. "I ask that you continue to watch over my boys," he requested, his voice unwavering.

I looked at him as I saw not a stranger, but a father who was concerned for his sons. He wanted them to be happy and well-cared for. At that moment, I couldn't help but to think back to Nate, whose father scorned him, and compare the two. Although Derek wasn't everything that Nate was, he had something that Nate didn't have which was his father's love.

Knowing the task that was being requested of me, I swallowed tightly and nodded once, giving my word. "I will, sir."

Mr. Bae studied my face for a moment but finally his face relaxed to a grateful smile. "Thank you, Chloe," he breathed, the tension in his shoulders dissipating.

"Hey Dad. I see that you've already met Chloe," Simon said as they returned. "What were the two of you talking about?"

Mr. Bae and I exchanged a look. _This is our secret. _I thought. At Derek's suspicious look, I knew that I had to come up with something fast. "Just talking about some of the classes that are offered here," I lied .

Simon nodded as we left for the cafeteria. "Yeah, there's a whole bunch of stuff that Lyle Academy offers. Like the range of art classes offered here..."

. . . . . . . . . .

After lunch, I spent the rest of the day with them until it was finally time for Mr. Bae to go. "Alright you guys, I should head back for now," Mr. Bae said as he looked from Derek to Simon. "I've already gotten time off of work to see your game next week, so you guys work hard."

"Got it," Derek and Simon chorused.

"See you then."

Mr. Bae clapped both of his sons on the shoulders. Then he turned to me and gave me a single nod before driving away into the night. I turned to Simon and Derek. "So, what do you guys want to do?" I asked as we entered our dorm.

Derek shrugged while Simon frowned. "I wish I could hang out, but I have a history project that's due on Tuesday. And... I haven't started it yet," he said with a shrug.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Nice going," he rumbled.

Simon slapped his brother on his back. "Anyway, I should probably get started. See you guys later," he said with a quick grin and left the two of us in the lobby.

Derek and I exchanged a look and we both smiled. It was like Simon to leave things to the last minute. Especially if they were about school.

"Your dad is really nice," I said when we got back to our room.

Derek nodded. "Yeah, he's great. He's busy but when he can, he tries to make some time for us."

I took off my hoodie and threw it on the back of my chair as I stretched out on my bed, facing him. "Does he always come to your basketball games?" I asked as Derek sat on his bed.

Another nod. "Usually. He likes watching us play, so he comes out to watch, even if it's a three hour drive from where we live," Derek replied.

"Oh wow. That's really awesome of him," I said as I sighed, thinking of my own dad. "I wouldn't have minded if my dad visited more often."

Derek turned to his side, facing me as a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "You know..." he started but trailed off, as though he wasn't sure if he should continue.

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"...if it bothers you, you should talk to him about it. Maybe you guys could work something out," he continued.

I gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks," I said.

Derek returned my smile. "You're welcome."

. . . . . . . . . .

By the time Monday came around, I couldn't help but notice that something was different in the atmosphere when I entered the cafeteria. Although I was still being targeted every now and then, people didn't openly gawk at me as they did before. It seemed that they finally had something else to discuss other than my being the outcast of the school. Bringing my tray over to the table where I normally sat with Liz and the others, my curiosity finally got the better of me.

"What's up with everyone?" I asked, looking around the room. "Somehow they seem livelier than usual."

Tori shrugged as she swallowed her bite of bagel. "I heard something about a hot shot scientist and his nephew visiting the school today. Apparently, they're friends with Dr. Davidoff," she informed me.

"Not just any scientist; Todd Banks," Derek added as he slid in next to me.

Tori raised one dark eyebrow. "Like that's supposed to mean something to me?"

Derek rolled his eyes and sighed. "Probably not to _you_, but in the science field, he's pretty famous. He founded the Genesis Project," he informed us.

"I don't think I've heard of it," I said as I divided my sausage into smaller pieces.

Simon shrugged. "I think that I read something about it in the newspaper a few years ago, but it wasn't that interesting, so I didn't think much about it," he piped up.

Derek looked around the table and shook his head at our disregard for science. "Apparently, science is under appreciated around here," he muttered under his breath.

I gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry. Tell us more about Todd Banks."

"Dr. Banks is the one who took the idea of genetic modification and turned it into reality. It was all over the news a few years back. They wanted to take away some of the imperfections that ran in some genes, and he made that happen," Derek explained as he suddenly frowned. "Though of course, there were some controversial aspects surrounding his discovery, but in science, that always happens."

"So... that's why everyone's super lively today? Because a famous scientist is here?" Liz questioned.

Simon rolled his eyes. "The science geeks-" he threw a look in Derek's direction. "-are probably buzzing to talk to Todd Banks, but the girls are super chatty because his nephew is like, supposedly _so cute_," he said, raising his voice to a falsetto. "Older guys are like, _totally_ hot."

I laughed at his imitation. "So he's older than we are?" I asked.

Simon shrugged again. "I guess. I just heard some of the girls talking about it when we were in the lineup," he replied. "What was his name? Ryan? Ray? No... Royce.. I think. Yeah, that's right, Royce Banks."

I frowned in confusion at I ate my sausage absent-mindedly. That name seemed familiar somehow. I knew that name, but where did I hear it? Simon and the others resumed their conversation, but I didn't follow them as I puzzled over where I heard the name from. Suddenly a group of chatter broke into the cafeteria as Melinda and her loyal devotees entered the room. As soon as I looked at Melinda, a dead weight fell into the pit of my stomach. I remembered where I first heard the name "Royce". It was from Melinda's story of how her ex-boyfriend nearly ended up raping her at her father's party.

Suddenly, I didn't feel as hungry as I did a few moments ago. _Oh god. Does Melinda know that he's here?_ I thought to myself as my half-digested breakfast threatened to come back up. I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely heard Derek calling me. "Chloe?"

I looked sharply in his direction to see him looking at me with an odd expression. Stealing a glance around the table, I noticed that everyone had stopped what they were doing and were also looking at me. Apparently, this wasn't the first time that Derek had tried to get my attention. "Yeah?"

My voice sounded squeaky and Derek's frown deepened. "Are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick," he pointed out.

To my credit, I let out a small laugh despite the jumble of nerves that I felt. "I-it's probably the sausages," I lied as I looked down at my half-eaten breakfast. "It probably wasn't cooked very well."

"Are you going to be okay?" Liz asked, concern evident in her voice.

I nodded slowly. "Probably. I don't feel very hungry, so I'll just dump the rest."

After a few more reassurances, my friends relaxed and continued their conversation as though nothing happened. But Derek never took his eyes off of me. I knew that he saw through my lie, but thankfully, he didn't sell me out. His eyes reflected worry off of his green glass irises but even then, he didn't press me for the reason why I had lied. For that, I was grateful because everything was spinning so fast in my head that I couldn't slow things down enough to process them.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. That is, until after school. When the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, most of the students left the school building as soon as they could. However, I stayed behind because I wanted to borrow the home economics room to make a batch of white chocolate cranberry cookies for Nate. His melancholic expression from Parents' Day was still on my mind and I wanted some way to cheer him up. Although I highly doubt that I could make them as good as his mom did, I wanted to give it a shot and surprise him with it. Which is why I was practicing now.

I had looked up the recipe online yesterday and I knew that our cupboards were well-stocked with everything that I needed. I got to work, following the recipe as I proceeded. Although I had close to no experience baking at home, I learned a little from my cooking class. After about half an hour of preparation, I dropped small balls of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet and put them into the oven. I timed them for 10 minutes and spent the baking time cleaning up.

After the bell went off, I dried off my hands and pulled out the oven mittens. However, as I opened the oven door, I peered inside to see that the cookies were still quite gooey, unlike the description of the finished product. "Maybe another 5 minutes?" I murmured to myself as I closed the door and added on the extra minutes.

The second time the bell went off, I opened the oven door to see that finally, they had hardened to look like actual cookies. Pleased with the appearance, I transferred the cookies over to the wire racks as I washed the cookie sheets, eager to try out the finished product. As soon as I was finished with the cleaning, I dried off my hands and bit into a cookie. To my horror, I tasted more of the burnt cookie dough rather than the cookie itself. Frowning, I hurried over to check on the rest of the cookies, but they were all deeply burnt on the bottom. I sighed as my disappointment grew. "Great job, Chloe," I muttered sarcastically to myself as I put the cookies back onto the counter top.

What was I going to do with them? Throwing them out was a definite waste, but I had left them in the oven for too long and thus they didn't taste as good as I had originally thought. I pondered about this for a few minutes longer before glancing at the clock. It was now four o'clock. _I should probably get back. Might as well take them with me. _I thought as I eyed my failed cookies with distaste. Sighing again, I pulled out a zip lock bag and slid the cookies into it. "Well, look on the bright side," I murmured to myself as I turned off the lights in the room. "This was just practice. It's not like you were going to give these to Nate anyway."

Walking down the now empty hallways, I tried to cheer myself up by telling myself that I would do better next time. As I crossed the bridge that connected the general section to the arts section, I glimpsed two figures outside on the lower level. Thinking that it was just kids hanging out after school, I didn't think much about it, but as I crossed to the other side, I looked out the window again. This time, I stopped in my tracks as I saw who it was that was standing outside. It was Melinda and an unfamiliar boy. He looked a little older than the other students and he was dressed fashionably in some of the most expensive brands around. However, that wasn't what caught my attention; it was the predatory gleam in his eyes as he gave Melinda an attentive once over, his smirk saying that he saw something that he liked.

Although Melinda normally gave off an air of confidence and boldness, I could tell from her pose that she was anything but. I couldn't see her face because I was facing her back, but I knew that she was anxious to be there. Heart hammering, I put one and one together and knew that the guy that had Melinda shaken up like this was none other than Royce.

Without hesitating, I took off down the hallway as I headed towards the exit. I flung my cookies to the side as I threw open the door and raced down the steps. No matter how much I despised her, no one should be treated the way that Melinda was treated all of those years ago. At that moment, all of the abuse that Melinda had directed towards me vanished from my mind as I was focused only on one thing: getting her away from him.

I hurried over to the side of the building that brought me closest to where I saw them, but ducked behind the wall to avoid being seen. Here, I was close enough to hear what was going on.

"It's been a long while, hasn't it?" Royce said, his tone predatory.

Melinda stiffened as she watched him carefully. From here, I could have sworn that I felt the fear radiating off of her, the way a mouse did when it was cornered by a cat. "What do you want?"

To her credit, she was able to keep her voice from wavering, but whatever expression crossed Royce's face made her flinch visibly. "Just to talk," he said, holding both hands up as to show that he had no ill intentions towards her. "I was a little surprised to discover that you went to this school, but I must say that I'm not disappointed. In fact, I'm pleased to see that you've grown into a woman over these years."

The tone in his voice made the hair rise on my arms. There was nothing soothing about his voice; it was all villainous. As he stepped closer towards her, both Melinda and I froze at the action. I let out a silent curse as Melinda took a step backwards. From there, she had no place to run since the wall was only a few more paces behind her. And the only way out was blocked by Royce. My heart thumped ferociously against my rib cage and I looked from side to side, hoping for a teacher or someone I could call for help. But no luck. I was afraid that if I left to get someone, it would be too late.

As I panicked on what to do, I suddenly glimpsed an a bucket of dirty water that stood in front of a nearby window. It presumably belonged to the janitor, who was most likely cleaning the windows, but they weren't here. Without hesitating, I hurried over and grabbed the bucket, the water sloshing out the sides at the rough movement. I returned with the bucket in my arms and emptied the bucket of its contents onto Melinda and Royce, who froze at the action.

With my shoulders heaving from the adrenaline pumping through me, I watched as both Melinda and Royce turned to face me, their faces mirroring each other as they stared at me wide-eyed in shock. Melinda even had a rag draped on her head that must have been in the bucket previously. Her flabbergasted expression was almost comical that if the situation wasn't as serious as it was, I was sure that I would have laughed. Royce recovered first. He turned on me, his face darkening in anger as he bore down on me. "What the hell was _tha__t_?" he demanded, his voice dangerously quiet.

My heartbeat echoed in my ears as I felt a moment of fear from his twisted expression. "S-sorry," I whispered. "I didn't see you there."

Royce gave me a look that obviously said that he didn't believe me, but before he could do anything else, I looked behind him and gave a fake surprised gasp at seeing Melinda standing there, drenched from head to toe in dirty water. "Oh! Melinda! I didn't see you there. _Omigosh_, you're soaking wet. We should get you dried before you get sick," I said quickly as I rushed past him and grabbed her arm.

With her still in shock, I easily dragged her away from Royce who stared after us. After a forced power walk, I slowed down once we got inside and directed her to the nurse's office. Peeking my head inside, I saw that once again, Ms. Wang was no where to be found. This time I didn't know whether or not I was grateful for this fact, since it lowered the amount of questions that she would have asked upon seeing us in this state. Without another word, I hustled her inside and closed the door behind us.

Blinking, Melinda sat down on the stool as she finally seemed to get over her shock. She removed the rag from her forehead as she turned to look at me in disbelief. "Like he said," she said softly before her voice raised in volume. "What the hell was _that_?"

I reached for the clean towels that hung on the rack and threw one at her. With cat-like reflexes, Melinda snatched it out of the air, but she didn't use it. Now that we were safe, my heart finally slowed to its regular pace. I shrugged as I turned to look at her. "Sorry," I said, knowing that I didn't really sound sorry. "But it was the only thing that I could think of."

Melinda scowled, her eyes lighting up the electric blue fire in her irises. "_Excuse_ me? You were spying on me, weren't you?" she accused as she narrowed her eyes at me.

I gave her a look that said that she was being ridiculous. "Huh. I didn't expect you to thank me on the bending knee, but don't deny that I saved your ungrateful butt from what could have been a very ugly situation," I pointed out. "Besides, I was just passing by when I felt that something was wrong, so I wanted to make sure that everything was fine."

Melinda fell silent as my words sunk in. It was probably a record that I rendered her speechless not once but twice in a single day. "Anyway," I continued. "He probably wouldn't dare to bother you again, so you're safe."

Instead of replying, Melinda studied me, the intensity of her icy blue eyes starting to unnerve me. "_What_?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes at her, thinking that she was going to throw another barb at me.

However, she surprised me by saying something that I thought would never come out of her soft, baby-girl-pink lips. "Why?"

I stared at her as though I heard her wrong. "Huh?"

"Why did you stick your neck out for me when I've done nothing but harm towards you?"

I sighed as I rubbed my hand at the back of my neck, starting to feel uncomfortable with her around. "Because you seemed... I don't know, scared, I guess. I won't it make it a secret that I really don't like you, but even then, I couldn't help but want to get you out of there," I answered her, hoping that she didn't know that I knew about her past.

Melinda lowered her eyes to the floor as she thought about my answer. When she said nothing for the next few minutes, I sighed again, wanting to get out of here. "Well, anyway, I don't plan on spending my whole day stuck in the nurse's office with you, so I'm heading back," I added.

As I turned to leave, Melinda made a small noise in her throat that made me stop. "I don't like to owe people, so in return, I'll let you in on an interesting secret," she called out.

Turning slowly, I gave her a look of disbelief. "Oh yeah? What would that be?"

A satisfied smirk formed on Melinda's lips as she looked down at me, a gleam in her winter blue eyes.

"Nate's using you."

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><p><strong>AN: What do you think? Is Melinda lying or not? I apologize for the cliffhanger, but it was a really good point to leave you guys hanging for more. This chapter was actually really easy and fun to write since I've been planning to have Kit and Chloe meet for some time and I could finally write about it. As well as the last part of this chapter. The last part of the chapter was written rather quickly, so I hoped that it was okay. Anyway, my birthday is in 4 days so I'll most likely be posting another chapter then as a present to all of you amazing people! (And so you won't have to wait too long to see what happens next). As always, thanks for reading and I hope you'll look forward to the next one!  
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	18. Doubt and Suspicion

**A/N: Hi everyone! First off, thanks for wishing me on a 'Happy Birthday'! I had a pretty good day despite having some homework that I had to complete. But other than that, it was pretty good. Secondly, I apologize for breaking my word about having this posted up on the day of my birthday (which was yesterday). Writing the chapter went really well (especially the Chlerek part), but once I hit the part about Nate, my ideas dried up, so it was a painful journey from there.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 18: Doubt and Suspicion<strong>

I stared at her, my mouth hanging slightly open. I blinked a few times to make sure that I wasn't hearing things wrong. Melinda crossed her chest as she waited patiently for my response, the water dripping from her hair. "W-what?" I sputtered at last.

"I'm telling you that Nate's using you," Melinda replied nonchalantly as she examined me with her intense pale blue eyes.

I raised my eyebrow at her as I felt a surge of anger flowing through me like liquid fire. Was she for real? I saved her butt and this was how she repaid people? "Yeah, right," I muttered in disbelief. "Tell me, why should I listen to you? You're obviously trying to break Nate and I apart."

Melinda's lips pressed into a thin line at accusation. "Look, I don't care whether or not you listen to me, but I _know_ Nate. Much better than you," she added. "Besides, you two don't match."

"And you do?"

Melinda huffed as she gave me a dismissive glance. "Better than you, anyway."

I cocked my head to the side as I thought about what she had said. "Okay... hypothetically, let's say that you are right; Nate is using me. How did you know?" I questioned as I was determined to find a loop hole in her logic.

While I was expecting a list of reasons, Melinda didn't give me one. Instead, she merely shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know if I am right, but my intuition hardly ever fails me," she answered as a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "Didn't you think it was weird that the most popular guy in school was suddenly interested in you when you guys barely knew each other?"

I frowned as I thought back to when I first transferred over. Sure, he had been friendly enough, but even then, we weren't as close as we were now. I did think it was a little strange that a guy like Nate preferred me over the other girls that went to the school. After all, I wasn't talented, pretty or smart. If I were to rank my social life, I would give it a perfectly mediocre 5 out of 10. The type that wasn't ignored or the first to be noticed. I was just really average. Yet, Nate still chose me. "We didn't start off as a couple, you know," I shot back.

Melinda waved her hand dismissively at my retort. "Whatever. Think about it. You guys barely have anything in common, but he still gives you his undivided attention. He's had a lot of exes, and trust me, your type doesn't really fit the criteria," she snorted as she gave me a once over.

I gritted my teeth. Was Melinda trying to help or not? If she was, then she was obviously trying to get her digs in while she's at it. Either way, I really didn't want to be in Melinda's company for much longer, regardless of what she wanted to tell me. "Which makes me think that he has something else in mind when he took things a step further in your relationship," Melinda continued as she draped her towel around her neck. "Yeah, I want Nate, not gonna lie. But I figured that it'd only be fair if you knew what was coming for you."

"Thanks for the heads up," I muttered drily. "But before I believe you, I'm going to find my own answers."

Melinda shrugged as she brushed past me. "Suit yourself."

I watched Melinda's figure vanish down the hallway as she headed back to her dorm. Sighing deeply, I left the nurse's office and was about to do the same when I remembered that I had left my failed cookies in the Gen-Ed hallway. Without further thought, I went back and picked them up.

Glancing down at the baked goods in my hand, a frown crossed my face as I thought back to what Melinda told me. _Could what she said be true? Is Nate really using me? What for?_ I questioned myself as I headed back towards the dorm. _Is our relationship nothing but a lie? Why me? _So many questions, but no answers.

Like Melinda had said a few moments ago, I did think that it was strange that Nate chose me when he could have had someone that had everything that I lacked. But back then, I was too happy to seriously consider it. I had finally found a guy that I liked and he liked me back. What was there to question? I sighed as I climbed the stairs up to my floor. Would Nate be hurt if he found out that I doubted him? Or would he be surprised that I caught on?

It wasn't a secret that Melinda detested me. I didn't like her very much either. Normally, I would have said that she was lying since she wanted Nate, but somehow I wasn't quite sure. I had saved her and would she really stoop to that low to stab me in the back after doing her a favour? Quite possibly. But what if she was telling the truth? If she was, and if I didn't believe her, the one who would be in pain would be me. But if she was lying, then Nate would be the one that was hurt.

When closed the room door behind me, I noticed that Derek was sitting at his desk, his back tight in concentration as he focused on his homework. However, upon hearing the door close, he turned around to face me. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hi. How was practice?" I asked as I kicked off my shoes in the corner.

Derek shrugged. "It was okay. Coach is starting to train us harder for the upcoming mat-." he stopped as he sniffed the air, his stomach growling. "Do I smell pastries?"

I gave a small laugh as I held up my cookies. "They didn't turn out as successful as I'd like. Turns out that I put them in the oven for too long and as a result, they're kind of burnt," I admitted as I unbuttoned my blazer and draped them over the chair. "I kind of wanted to throw them away, but it'd be a waste, so I brought them back."

Derek eyed the cookies attentively and I gave another short laugh. "Here, you can have them, if you want."

I tossed him the bundle of cookies, which he caught with his wolf-like reflexes. Without another word, he took out the first one and bit into it. "Tastes pretty good. Just a little burnt," he mumbled with his mouth full.

I shrugged as I sat down on my bed, facing him. "I was going to give them to Nate, since he mentioned that he loved white chocolate cranberry cookies, but I'll make another batch some time soon, in hope of improving," I explained as Nate crossed my mind again.

When I spoke with him during Parents' Day, he seemed so alone and heartbroken. Despite Melinda's suspicions, I still believed that he was telling me the truth about his parents. But why would he if he was only planning to use me?

"You okay?" Derek's voice cut in suddenly.

I blinked in surprise as I looked at Derek, his eyes dark with concern. "Huh?"

Derek frowned. "You've been a little strange today. Is there something bothering you?" he blurted out before realizing what he was saying and backtracked. "Uh.. you don't need to confide in me, not that I'm saying that you can't. But if you want, I can listen. Might help if you talked about it."

I studied Derek as I noticed an embarrassed flush cross his face. _He's worried about me._ I thought as I felt a light sensation buzz through me. Although sometimes it could be hard to tell with Derek, when he was like this, you could tell that he really cared about you. It made me feel a little better. Although the situation about Nate was bothering me, I knew that Derek wasn't Nate's biggest fan, so I decided to tell Derek about Melinda and Royce instead, starting from when I first learned about her past in the girls' bathroom.

Initially, I felt that it was a private conversation, one that I should have never listened to, unintentionally or not, but I guess it was almost a blessing in disguise. Not only did I know what she had gone through, but I was also able to save her this time around. I hated to think what would have happened if I had not intervened. No one deserved that.

Derek listened attentively, his face scrunching up in pain, disbelief and concern at all the right parts. Finally, when I ended, Derek scowled at me, the anger in his eyes startling me. "Do you know how dangerous that was?" he demanded, his voice deathly quiet. "You could have been hurt if that jerk had gone after you."

I frowned as I thought back to the fear that I had felt when Royce bore down on me, his eyes flashing angrily. "I know," I told him, pleading for him to understand. "But I couldn't have left Melinda in that situation. If I had gone for help, who knows what could have happened?"

Derek said nothing as he braced his elbows on his knees and ran his hand through his hair. I could feel his frustration rolling off him in waves. "Melinda's not my favourite person, but even so, I wouldn't want that to happen to her," I added as I drew my knees up and brought them to my chest.

Again, Derek didn't reply right away. After a long minute, he let out a huff as he looked me in the eye, the intensity of his emerald irises sucking the backbone out of me.

"I understand why you did it. But if something like that happens again? Call me. No matter what I'm doing or what time it is, I'll come and find you. Got it?"

I nodded once as I swallowed thickly. "Good. Now that you've been lectured, I'm gonna say that while I disapprove of you throwing yourself into danger, I also think that you did well. It takes courage to do something like that. Especially for someone who hasn't treated you fairly," Derek added gruffly. "So yeah, you did good."

The corners of his mouth twitched into a small crooked smile, one that I've grown to become familiar with. I smiled at him in return, a warm, light feeling settling peacefully in my heart. "Thanks."

Derek nodded as he continued to munch on my cookies. As I looked into the zip lock bag, I realized that there were only a few left.

"Hey! Don't finish them off. I've only had one," I exclaimed as I reached for the bag.

"Nope. Mine. You said that I could have them," Derek shot back as he held them out of my reach.

And so, I ended up wrestling Derek for the remainder of my cookies. I'm sure that if he was serious, I would have lost big time, but being the guy he is, he shared the last few with me. And with an added bonus, I temporarily forgot about Nate, Melinda and all of my other problems.

. . . . . . . . . .

The next morning, Derek mentioned that he had morning basketball practice, so we went our different ways. As I left the dorm, I heard a familiar voice call me. "Hey Chloe!"

I turned to see Nate jogging towards me, in basketball shorts and a loose t-shirt. Even though I didn't think any more of what Melinda told me last night, I couldn't help but be slightly wary of him. Was he really such a bad guy? Was the time that he had spent with me all just lies? I swallowed thickly as I forced a smile. "Morning, Nate," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

Nate shot me a brilliant grin as he caught up with me. "Getting breakfast?" he asked as he shifted his gym bag onto his other shoulder.

I nodded. "Mhm. Basketball practice for you?" I questioned.

"Yeah. We're all starting to feel the pressure of the match next week. It'll be the opening game, so we have to look good," Nate answered with a shrug. "But I found out who our opposing school is, and they're pretty good, so we have to work hard."

Despite the fact that I was still cautious with Nate, I couldn't help but smile at his passion for basketball. He really did want the team to do well. "Don't sweat it; you're the captain. You guys will do great," I told him as Nate grin widened to show off his perfectly straight teeth.

"Haha, I'm glad you think so. Anyway, I'm late so I need to go," he said as he turned to leave, but stopped before he broke off into another jog. "Don't forget to stop by my committee's fund raising booth at lunch. We'll be in the cafeteria."

I briefly recall him telling me something about it a few days ago in one of our conversations, but it had slipped my mind that it was today. "Got it."

Nate flashed me another one of his smiles and left. When I grabbed my breakfast consisting of a buttered bagel and OJ, I joined Tori and Liz, who were already at our usual table. Tori glanced around me and raised one dark eyebrow. "No Derek or Simon joining us today?" she asked.

I bit into my bagel and swallowed shortly after. "B-ball practice," I answered as Liz smiled.

"They're working really hard, aren't they? I think it'll be a fun match to watch," she commented as she sliced up her eggs and ate a piece.

I nodded. "I can't wait."

Tori rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, you 'can't wait' to see your man in action?" she said as she sipped her milk.

I was busy with chewing my bagel so I just shot her a look instead. "Of course Chloe wants to see Nate play," Liz replied for my behalf. "After all, they're finally together."

The mouthful of bagel slid down my throat and got caught somewhere down there. My face scrunched up painfully as I tried to dislodge the bolus of food with a cough. After several attempts, the food finally slid down the right tube. "Ate too fast," I said quickly as I reached for my orange juice and drained half the glass.

Liz smiled. "That happens a lot to me too. Though I have to say that it usually happens because I try to talk right after swallowing, so it ends up being caught," she replied.

Tori made the grand gesture of looking around. "Well, if Nate was here and you were choking, you could have probably asked him to give you the Heimlich manoeuvre. I'm sure he'd be happy to," she added with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes at her as I set my glass back on the table. "Speaking of Nate, did you guys ever think that it was weird that we'd end up together?" I asked slowly as I gauged their reactions.

Liz looked thoughtful as she considered my words whereas Tori frowned. "Yeah a little. I'm more surprised that you went for him though. I didn't think you were into ex-playboys."

"Sure, I guess he could be a bit of a flirt, but I can see why girls would like him. He's ... a good guy," I finished uncertainly, as though I wanted to convince myself of that fact.

Liz caught the hitch in my voice and she frowned, her deep cerulean blue eyes clouding with worry. "Are things between you and Nate going okay?" she asked carefully.

My eyes darted to her as I was surprised that she caught on so quickly. I cleared my throat as I forced my face to remain neutral. "Yeah, we're fine. I just couldn't help but think about it," I lied, not wanting my friends to worry about me even more than they had to.

Tori huffed. "Let me guess. Those Melinda-wannabes said something to you, didn't they?" her eyes flashed angrily. "Well, you can tell them that they can shove it up their-"

"What Tori trying to say is that you shouldn't listen to them," Liz cut in as she shot her friend a disapproving look. "Sure, I thought that you guys were an unlikely couple, seeing the previous girls that Nate had dated, but as long as you're happy, then we are too."

I nodded as I swallowed dryly, my throat tightening. In other words, they also thought that it was peculiar that Nate chose me. "Right. Thanks guys."

Liz and Tori both smiled at me as they moved onto a different topic, talking animatedly as they did so. However, I wasn't quite in the mood to join them. _He's my boyfriend._ I thought to myself. _Shouldn't I trust him?_ That's what I felt that I should do, but my heart still felt unsettled. There were too many questions. I needed to find answers.

As the day progressed, Nate disappeared from my mind. Until lunch time that is. When I entered the cafeteria, I immediately noticed that while there was the usual lineup for food, there was another cluster of people surrounding an area in the corner. Derek stood beside me as he surveyed the crowd. "A fundraiser?" he murmured.

"Apparently so."

Approaching for a closer look, I spotted Nate's flame red hair as he weaved to and from, trying to get to as many people as he could. "Thanks for buying our baked treats as well as supporting the cause of taking a step closer to ending poverty!" he shouted to be heard over the crowd of people.

Nate's friends helped him out as he accepted money from paying customers. In his circle, they made up most of the top of the social ladder. The jocks, the student council leaders and some of Lyle Academy's most talented students were there helping out. Together with lots of brilliant smiles and "thank yous", I watched as people returned to their seats, with a cupcake or two and a lighter wallet.

Finally, when the crowd thinned out a little, I watched as Nate let out a breath of relief as he backed up, looking slightly dishevelled. When his eyes glanced around the cafeteria, looking happy as he saw the number of students who had bought something, he met my eye and his grin brightened. I swallowed tightly as I felt like something had dropped into the pit of my stomach. "Hey!" he called out, his face radiant with pride.

As he beckoned us over, I felt guilty as I looked at him, reminded of everything that I had thought of him earlier. Nate really was a nice guy. And here was his girlfriend, doubting him. "H-how are things going?" I asked as I eyed the near empty trays of baked goods.

"Really well. The food was by donation, but I think we raised a lot," Nate said as the others started to clean up. "Here, you guys have some too. It's on me."

I shook my head as I reached into my wallet and pulled out a five-dollar bill. Looking out the corner of my eye, I also saw that Derek turned down his offer as well. "Thanks, but since this is a fundraiser, I feel bad if I take something for free," I said as I dropped my bill into the donation box and helped myself to a slice of banana bread.

Derek muttered something like agreement and he too dropped his donation into the box. After grabbing a cookie, he mumbled that he was going to eat lunch and left to meet up with Simon and the others. I watched Derek leave as I realized that now I was alone with Nate. Well, not alone _alone, _with the rest of the cafeteria buzzing actively behind us, but for all that I knew, it felt that we were the only two people standing in this room. I nibbled slowly on my banana bread, hoping to get out of talking to Nate. Of course, I couldn't. Nate cleared his throat and rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. "So, are you free to watch my game next week?" he asked curiously.

Wordlessly, I nodded as I met his eyes with my own. Nate's smile freshened at my response and I could see that he was genuinely happy that I was coming to his match. Which only made me feel worse and worse. "Awesome. With you to watch, I'll do my best to look cool in front of my girl-" he started before one of his friends cut him off.

"Yo! Stop flirtin' and get your ass over here to clean up!"

Nate rolled his eyes as he looked resignedly at me. "Guess I should go," he mumbled.

I swallowed the bit of baked bread and nodded. "See you later then," I said.

Nate braced one hand on the table and easily vaulted over it, giving me a thumbs up that made my heart beat. After he left, trays in hand, I joined Derek and everyone else. However, my heart wasn't on the food that was set out in front of me. I chewed tastelessly as my brain processed everything that I knew about Nate. The flirty side of him. The sweet version of him who would look at me and the light in his eyes telling me that he cared. The boy who was cast away by both of his parents. The guy that I liked.

My mind was made up; I wouldn't doubt him any longer.

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><p><strong>AN: Before you start throwing daggers, knives and other whatnot, please let me explain that Chloe doesn't always make the best decisions. But I think that that's okay, because it'll let her grow and mature as a character. As for her decision here, let's say that she's gonna face a lot of regret very soon. Like I mentioned before, this was a hard chapter to write, since I don't like Nate either. But it needed to be done. Don't worry, Nate's time in the spotlight will dry up soon enough. Thank you all for being so patient and sticking with me. Please look forward to the next one!**


	19. Truth

**A/N: Hey guys. Thanks for continuing to stick by me! I apologize for the lack of updates lately. It's been an exhausting past few weeks due to midterms and school clubs that I attend bi-weekly. Augh. I'm so sleepy. Nearly 2am. Anyway, I can't believe that I'm finally made it to this chapter. The chapter that I've been dying to get to and probably the one that you're also highly anticipating as well (just that you didn't know when). Well, I won't keep you any longer.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers and I'd like to give a shout out to my awesome friend, KG, for helping me proof-read this. Thank you! Also, there will be some lines here and there that will be similar to ones in the series.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 19: Truth<strong>

A few days have passed since my resolution about trusting Nate and my heart felt a lot lighter since then. However, I wish I could have said the same for Melinda. I still wasn't sure if she merely wanted Nate or she was actually trying to help me and there was no way that I could ask her. Every time I saw her, I would be reminded of that fact and it bothered me. So, I tried to avoid her as much as possible. But there was a flaw with that plan; I was still partnered up with her in my creative writing project and I couldn't get out of it.

One long afternoon, Mr. Taylor had told us to go to the library to get some work done and I resignedly followed Melinda as she chose a table that was furthest away from the others, hidden behind rows of bookshelves that were dusty with misuse. I sighed as I set my books down and slumped ungracefully into the chair. "Well, let's get this over with," I muttered unhappily, taking out a wad of paper and a pen.

Melinda scowled, her perfectly glossed lips turning down at the corners. "That's my line," she snapped. "Why'd I have to be partners with _you_ of all people?"

I rolled my eyes at her as she took her seat across the table. "My thoughts exactly. So, apparently according to the handout, this assignment is supposed to have a moral, which means that the protagonist needs to have learned something important by the end of the literary work," I stated as Melinda's scowl deepened.

"I know what a moral is," she shot back. "I'm not stupid."

I bit back a retort and swallowed it painfully. Working with her was definitely going to leave some scars. I eased back into my chair and gave her a look. "I never said you were. But out of curiosity since we're also supposed to 'learn more about each other during this assignment' –Mr. Taylor's words, not mine, so don't give me that look. Why did you choose this class? You're in Gen-Ed and you could have chosen anything else to fulfil your electives," I said.

Melinda huffed as she crossed her arms. "If I wanted to go into editing, then I would obviously need writing classes," she replied.

I looked at her in silent astonishment. If I had to choose a career for Melinda, working in a publishing company wouldn't have been in the top 50 careers that matched her poise and personality. Something like fashion designer or even perhaps taking over her father's company would have been a better match. "Y-you want to be an editor?"

"Um, yeah. Why is that so surprising?" Melinda's eyes narrowed at me. "You just thought that it didn't suit me, correct?"

Instead of denying it, I nodded. _Might as well be honest._ She snorted as she eased back into her chair and crossed her arms. "Whatever. Maybe it doesn't suit me. But I'm _so_ not working in any field that my family is in," she declared.

I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued by her words. "Why?" I questioned as I cocked my head to the side, somehow interested in hearing her response.

"I don't want _anyone_ to say that I was riding on my daddy's coattails when I become successful. I want it to be because of my own skills and everyone is going to know that. If I did allow my parents' connections to give me a boost, it would grant me access to any publishing company that I wanted. But there's no point in that; it wouldn't make me happy," Melinda admitted.

I nodded as I understood her feelings, because to a point, that was kind of how I felt as well. While I welcomed my dad's support, I wanted to achieve what I wanted on my own. The sensation of self-accomplishment was something that I wanted to feel. "But why an editor? You could have chosen anything else," I pointed out.

Melinda shot me a look. "What is this? Twenty Questions?" she demanded.

I held up both hands up as if to ward her off. "_Calm down_, you don't have to answer me if you don't want to. I was just interested to know your reason why you chose something that was so different from what other people would have expected of you. Myself included. But if it's too personal, then I'll back off," I told her.

She was quiet for a moment as a look of thoughtfulness crossed her face. After a long minute of silence, I sighed. _Guess that's the end of this conversation._ However, just as I was about to suggest a story plot, Melinda spoke, "I've always admired the way that editors could turn a rough piece of work and turn it into something that's polished and smooth. They have a way with manipulating the text so that it becomes flawless and enjoyable for the audience."

"Not to mention the independence?" I added.

Melinda shrugged. "I guess so. I've always been able to tell whether something that someone has written would be considered 'good' or not. So, why not an editor?" she threw the question back at me, daring me to challenge her again.

"If that's how you feel, fine. No need to get snarky. "

A roll of her icy blue eyes. "You've heard what I want out of life. What do _you_ want to do?"

"Screenwriter," I replied as I tapped the end of my pencil at the desk. "Kind of a similar reason to yours, but with movies."

When she raised an eyebrow, I continued. "Ever since I was young, I've always been fascinated with movies. Any type is fine, though I prefer thrillers with lots of action and suspense. While I watched them, I would dissect the screenplay into pieces and for the most part, I'm usually able to predict what would happen next. If I could, I want to write _and_ direct. The story comes from screenwriting, but if I really wanted that story to fly, I would have to direct."

An undecipherable expression crossed Melinda's face as though she was thinking over my wanting to be a screenwriter. However, that expression vanished quickly, replaced with a roll of her eyes. "_Fascinating_," she said sarcastically as she nodded towards my blank page. "Now that we've wasted enough time chatting about our dream jobs, we should probably get something done before Mr. Taylor comes around and thinks that you're dragging me behind."

I sighed as I looked at her in disbelief. Here we were, inching closer towards friendship before Melinda apparently remembered that we were supposed to be enemies. _Oh well._ I thought to myself as I studied her. _Even though it was almost as painful as pulling out my teeth, I did accomplish something by getting to know her a little better._ And so, we worked until the bell rang, signifying the end of the day. I glanced down at our half-filled page and frowned. It was a short story, but even then, it still wasn't enough. "We'll need to work more on it," I remarked.

"Well yeah."

"Do you want to meet up to finish the rest?" I suggested as I heaved my bag over my shoulder.

Melinda's lip curled at my suggestion, as if she'd rather eat toads than spend any more time with me. Which was probably true. After a long moment of silence, she crossed her arms as a look of resignation flashed briefly on her face before turning into determination. "Fine," she snapped. "But I don't want to be seen in the public with _you_ of all people. We're working in my room, A110, the day after the basketball game."

I wanted to shoot back a retort about how I didn't want to spend any more time necessary with her either, but if I wanted her cooperation, I had to swallow my pride. "Alright."

We then left our separate ways as I joined Liz and Melinda joined her groupies. "So, how was it? You don't seem too badly injured," Liz commented as she gave me a once over, assessing for any visible damage.

"It was okay, I guess. Better than I had originally thought," I replied.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Do tell."

I gave her a brief run through of what we talked about in the library and after a moment of surprise, Liz smiled. "Wow, I wouldn't have expected her to choose editing for a career, but that probably explains why her writing is pretty good," she said. "A lot better than mine, anyway."

I shrugged as I thought back to our partnership, where she pointed out every flaw and grammatical error that she could find when I wrote out the short story. "Guess so, though personally, I think the bossiness of her attitude kinda fits the role," I added.

Liz laughed as we stopped at my locker. "So, I see that you and Nate are chummier than usual," she remarked as I dialled my combination and dumped my books back inside. "Is he excited for tomorrow's game?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he won't stop talking about it. It's a big deal since it's their opening game, so he's worried that it won't go well."

"I'm sure he'll do fine. He's the captain, after all. So, are you going to give him those cookies after the game?"

Another nod. "Yeah, I'm planning on making them today and giving it to him tomorrow, but I'll still be able to make it to the movie tonight," I told her.

Every other Friday, the dorm held a movie night, which consisted of several movies that people wanted to watch. Whichever had the most votes would be shown. So far, the two most wanted were Zombieland and Sherlock Holmes. I haven't seen either but I wouldn't mind watching a zombie-comedy-flick. Knowing Derek, he most likely chose the latter option. We had agreed to meet up and watch the movie together. Nate opted out since he still had a bundle of assignments left over from when he was away.

"Oh okay. There's basketball practice today, isn't there?" Liz questioned as I locked my locker.

"Yeah, a last minute practice, but I think it'll end a little earlier than usual since their coach doesn't want to wear them out before tomorrow. Anyway, I should get going," I answered.

"Right. See you later."

I spent the next hour or so working on my white chocolate cranberry cookies. I'm proud to say that this time, they came out a lot better than last time. I had learned my lesson and just stuck with what the recipe had advised, soggy or not. While I washed the equipment, I let them cool on the cooling rack and was pleased to discover that they hardened to be like actual cookies and tasted great. Happy with my success, I placed them neatly on a piece of plastic wrap and tied the end with some string.

By the time I had finished, it was just after four and like usual, the school was pretty empty except for one or two girls. They were just about to head back as well. "Ugh, it's raining outside," one of them commented while the other made a face.

"Well that's just great," her friend muttered.

"At least the weekend's here."

I glanced out the window to see that they were indeed correct. It was sprinkling outside, typical for autumn weather here. I sighed as I glanced down at my cookies and back out the window. I didn't bring an umbrella, but if I booked it from the school to the dorms, would I manage to avoid being drenched? Possibly.

When I went back to get my stuff from my locker and rummaged through it, gathering my homework, I realized that I had forgotten to grab a handout from the classroom. I checked the time on my phone and hesitated. Should I go back and grab it? By this time, most of the teachers would have headed back already. Especially on a Friday afternoon. I could always just borrow Liz's. I stood there for a few more seconds debating over this matter before I decided in the end to just go back and grab the sheet. Shutting my locker and locking it, I heaved my messenger bag over my shoulder and headed down the arts hallway with my cookies in hand.

As I approached the said classroom, I felt a moment of relief when I saw that the door was partially open, as though someone wanted to shut it, but didn't close it properly. Even if Mr. Taylor had left, I could still slip inside and grab the sheet off the handout tray that he had. Smiling to myself, I laid my hand on the door knob, about to open it, but froze when I heard a familiar voice in the room.

"Well, you got me out of practice. What do you want?"

I blinked. It was Nate. But who was he talking to? A few seconds later, I had my answer.

"What do you think I want, Nate?" Melinda's voice replied.

I stiffened, unable to move away. What was Nate doing alone with Melinda? Was she trying to persuade him to like her again? I swallowed tightly, barely daring to breathe. I heard Nate sigh heavily, as though he was exhausted. "Melinda, I don't think of you as anything more than a friend or a sister," he said.

"I know that," Melinda snapped, but even through the door, I could hear the hurt and bitterness in her voice. "But that's not why I called you out."

"Then why?"

"I want to talk to you about your so-called 'girlfriend' and how your feelings aren't genuine."

I frowned. What was Melinda getting at? Was she still accusing Nate of using me? Even after being rejected, was she really that unhappy that I was with him? So many questions… But I had a feeling that most of them would be answered in this conversation. "I don't know what you're talking about," Nate replied.

"Oh yes, you do. Or are you also going to deny that your reason for liking her in the first place had nothing to do with tall, dark and gruesome?" A snort from Melinda. "Because if my hunch is right, it would explain _everything_."

I held my breath as I waited for Nate to deny it. To say that his feelings _were_ genuine and that he _did_ like me, but as the silence stretched for too long, my heart thudded painfully in my chest. "Well?" Melinda prompted.

The next words that came out of Nate's mouth were so quiet that I had to strain to hear them over the pounding of my heart. "I won't deny it."

_No… _

A wave of emotion zinged through me, raw and painful as it burned through my body. It felt as though someone had lit a fire on my insides. My heart cracked at his admission. _Nate wouldn't-. _I thought, but my inner voice cut in. -_He just did. Open your eyes and see the truth._ I took quick shallow breaths, my head light and dizzy as I tried to process everything that went on.

A fleeting thought appeared in my mind. _There's still time; I can just walk away and pretend that none of this ever happened._ But I couldn't do it. I couldn't be happy knowing that everything was a lie. That _we_ were a lie. With my heart on the verge of cracking even further, I held my breath and strained to hear the rest.

"Then why?" Melinda asked, careful to keep her words steady at this revelation.

That was the same question that I wanted to ask. I had to steel myself against the urge of bursting into the room and demand the same thing. Nate didn't reply for the next minute, which felt like an hour. I dreaded his words, but at the same time, I _had_ to know. Finally, he took a shuddering breath, as though he really didn't want to continue but had no other choice. "It's because she's the only person that Derek cares for other than his family. If I hurt her, then it would hurt him as well," Nate admitted, his voice reluctant.

"I figured as much. You never really liked the guy, but to use someone?" Melinda questioned quietly, losing her earlier vigour. "That's a little much."

Nate sighed again as I watched his shoulders slump dejectedly through the crack in the door. "You don't get it, Melinda. Your parents actually care for you. Mine?" a dismissive snort. "He doesn't give a damn about me. I'm only useful when my father needs a family member to accompany him to his ceremonies. We'll pretend to be a happy family for like 5 minutes before he goes back to conveniently forgetting that I exist," Nate said bitterly. "Don't tell me you know what that's like."

Melinda's face softened into that of sympathy but before she could open her mouth to speak, Nate continued, his voice heavy with anger and sadness. "All I've ever wanted was for my father to look my way. To give me a sign that he cares. That he's proud of me. But I've never been good enough. No matter how much I try, he just won't give me a second glance."

"So how is Derek involved? And by extension, Chloe?" Melinda asked as I wondered about the same thing.

Nate's face darkened with bitterness and frustration. "It's the exact opposite for him. Regardless of what he does, his dad's always there for him. Supporting him and cheering him on. Every basketball game, he's there. Even if we lose, he still says that he is proud of his sons because he knew that they did their best. And that he loves them no matter what they do."

And then the pieces fell into place. Nate spent most of his life wanting his dad to love and accept him, the way that Derek's and Simon's dad did. It was the one thing he ever wanted. Melinda must also have realized this because she flinched, a rare reaction from Lyle Academy's princess. "And your dad-" she started.

"-isn't like that. The only time that he had ever bothered to show up for my games was when his business partner was interested in seeing a match. Because surely the son of a retired college basketball MVP star would be just as good right?" Nate finished for her. "Well, let's say that never before has my father hated me so much as he did that day."

"You're not your father, Nate. They can't expect that of you," Melinda said, her voice was soft, as though she was afraid that Nate would break.

He shook his head. "I'm not my father," he agreed quietly, his tone grim. "If I were, I would have been able to score that last net instead of Derek. If I had, he wouldn't have been embarrassed by me. And..." Nate faltered for a moment before taking a deep breath. "... maybe he would have been proud of me."

The last part was barely louder than a whisper, as though Nate was afraid of letting the world know that he was ashamed for not living up to his father's standards. For a moment, I sympathized for him, knowing how much he wanted his father to accept him, but when Melinda spoke again, I remembered what Nate's pain had led to: revenge against Derek by using me.

"So that's why you got close to Chloe; you wanted to get back at Derek," she stated as she crossed her arms, a frown etched on her face.

Nate nodded as he shifted uncomfortably. "I tried a lot of stuff but he has never batted an eye. And I couldn't bring myself to hurt Simon, since before the incident with Derek, we were friends. But after it, he stuck by his brother instead. So when Chloe came along, she-"

The anger rolled through me in waves as I processed everything that I had heard. I had enough. Gripping the door knob, I wrenched the door open, revealing my presence. "-became your tool in your revenge against Derek," I finished for him, as Nate jerked his head at the sound of my voice, his face resembling that of a deer caught in headlights.

"You've heard-?" he breathed as my cheeks flushed with fury.

"Everything."

Beside him, Melinda's face had a look of shock, but after the initial moment of surprise, an expression crossed her face, one that I would have never expected to see directed towards me; it was sympathy. Despite her cool exterior, I could tell from that moment that she felt bad for me. Yes, she had a hunch that I was being used, but to hear it directly from Nate himself? Yeah, that shattered the remains of my cracked heart. A few seconds ago, I had felt the pain, but right now, the rage that I felt completely took over my mind so that I had no room to feel the wounds that Nate had inflicted upon me.

I looked back at Nate, who flinched at whatever emotion he saw etched on my face. "Chloe," he said softly, as though I was a startled animal that was on the verge of attacking or running away.

Good analogy, because the animosity that I held towards Nate at the moment could have burned away any common sense that said that I shouldn't attack him. But with great control, I bit back the urge to strangle him. "You've only heard half of it. You don't know everything," he added weakly.

I raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him. "Oh yeah? Well, I think I've heard enough," I shot back, so infuriated that tears were starting to blur my vision. "I believed in you. Even when everyone else said that you were up to no good, I _trusted _you, because I thought I knew the type of person you were. Clearly, I was mistaken."

Nate blanched at the harshness of my words. As he opened his mouth, I cut him off. "When you told me about your family, I thought that I was someone worth discussing it with. That you genuinely cared for me. But I guess that was all part of your plan too. And I fell for it, hook, line and sinker," I added.

He shook his head, his expression filled with agony and hurt. "No Chloe, that's not-" he started but stopped when I gave him a stormy look.

"Whatever. I may have been dumb enough to not realize what was going on, but there's no way I'm going to continue being your instrument," I told him as I looked at him in the eye. "I'm not going to waste any more time on you, Nate; You and I are through."

And with that, I threw the bundle of cookies that I made at him. They struck him squarely in the chest as my words hit home. Nate's face scrunched up with so much emotion that I couldn't process them all. But one of them came through, as clear as day; it was pain. It was also the same expression that he wore when he had talked about his mother leaving him. Even though I resented him for using me, I could still feel the tug that he had on my heart. And that only made me angrier; Nate had no right to make me think twice about my decision. It took everything I had not to burst into tears right now; I could not let him see me cry.

Spinning sharply on my heel, I marched out of the room, steeling myself against the urge to respond to Nate's protests behind me. "Chloe! Please!"

I heard him plead for me to hear him out, but I gritted my teeth and broke into a run. I had to get away from Nate or else I would be swept up by him again. If I did, I would end up forgiving him. And I wouldn't allow myself that.

I didn't know where I was running to. I only knew that I needed to get out of this suffocating building. Everything else blurred as I ran, the lockers and classrooms becoming unrecognizable blobs of colour as I sped down the hall. Finally, as I reached the end of the hallway, I shoved the heavy metal door open and went outside. I was greeted by the rain, but I barely felt it coming down.

Breathing rapidly, I slowed to a walk as I sucked in the fresh air greedily. The coldness was a sharp contrast to the warm building. Now that my adrenaline had ebbed, all that I felt was anger and pain. The first guy that ever told me that he liked me only chose me because of my connection to the guy that he despised. To get back at him for ruining any chance that he could have had with his father. And as a result, Nate had used me in his scheme like I didn't matter. I clenched my fists at the enmity that I had against myself. I hated, hated, _hated_ myself for being so stupid. Everyone had warned me about Nate. First it had been Liz and Tori. Then it was Derek.

_Oh god, Derek..._ Whatever that remained of my broken heart seized painfully. Derek had told me why he didn't trust Nate. And what he was capable of. But I didn't believe him. I wanted so badly for Nate to be the type of guy that I had envisioned. The type of guy that I wanted to be with. As a result, I had been blinded and selfish when I told Derek off.

But even then, he forgave me. Derek knew that I wanted to be with Nate, despite the antagonism between the two. And above that, Derek wanted me to be happy. That was the reason why he let me make my own decisions when it came to Nate. I told him that I would be careful, but in the end, I still wasn't meticulous enough.

I was angry and ashamed of myself; I had become the person that I never wanted to be.

I don't know how long I spent out there in the rain, feeling numb and drained, not to mention drenched. My tears had mixed with the rain to the point that I didn't know which was what. But I didn't want to move. It just felt as though someone had cut my power cord, leaving me with no will or the energy to do anything. However, as I sat there starring at the empty sports field where Derek spent his mornings, my phone buzzed with a text. Sighing, I took my phone out to see who had sent the message. It was Derek:

_Where are you? The movie started ten minutes ago._

Glancing at the clock app on my phone, I saw that Derek was right. I usually looked forward to movie nights at the dorm, but right now, I wasn't feeling up to it. I also didn't feel like seeing anyone; I just wanted to curl up and get past today.

I got up and started to walk back in the direction of the dormitories. The rain came down even harder now, but I barely noticed since I was already soaked through. Everything that I had felt during the confrontation with Nate rendered me numb and drained. Forget dinner; I wasn't hungry in the slightest. I merely wanted to change into my pyjamas and go to sleep.

Before I realized it, I had already made it back to the steps that led up to my dorm. As I made my way up, the entrance suddenly opened and Derek stepped into the light. He stopped at the sight of me and he scowled. "Where the hell were you? And why didn't you reply to my text?" he snapped as he loomed over me.

I shunted my gaze to the side. "Sorry, I don't feel like watching a movie," I mumbled as I continued to climb the stairs.

At the sound of my voice, Derek's scowl faded as concern took over. "Chloe? Are you okay?" he asked as he stepped down so that we only stood a few inches apart.

Without another word, he took in the sight of me and he blinked. "You're completely drenched. What happened?" he questioned, his voice quieter, but just as rough.

Avoiding his gaze, I tried to brush past him but Derek sidestepped so that he blocked my pathway. "Chloe..." he rumbled.

I didn't want to face Derek after everything that had happened today. I just couldn't. So when I tried to bypass him once more, Derek reached out and grabbed my arm. "Look at me."

He then spun me around so that I faced him. I glanced at him through surprised eyes and as he got a good look at my face, he let out a whispered oath. "You've been crying," he said softer now, as he released my arm.

With obvious control, a small growl escaped his throat as he clenched his teeth. "It's Nate, isn't it?" he demanded, his voice dangerously low.

At the mention of _that_ name, the emotions that I thought that I had under control stirred up once again. I gritted my teeth against the painful thud of my heart. Derek's face hardened at whatever expression that I wore and he clenched his fists. "I'm going to kill him," he swore.

I sniffled as my vision blurred. At the sound, Derek flinched as though I had brandished a whip at him. The deadly gleam in his eyes faded as he took in my appearance again. "For now, let's go inside before you get sick," he mumbled as he took my arm, his grip so soft that I barely felt it.

And so, I allowed him to lead me back inside the dorm lobby. However, at the sound of the movie playing in the background, I froze. If we wanted to get back to our room, we would have to cross the entertainment area, where everyone would surely notice my pathetic appearance. Glancing down at me, Derek probably realized this as well because he unzipped his jacket and wordlessly draped it on me, the sleeves going well past my fingertips. Then he brought the hood up so that it fell just over my eyes. Without another word, he pulled me into the main area.

At our entrance, several heads looked up from the movie, including Liz, Tori and Simon. Their eyes widened at the sight of me and Liz leaped to her feet. However, before she could open her mouth to say anything, her gaze fell on Derek and whatever expression he had made her shut up. A brief exchange of looks and finally Liz gave him a single nod. Immediately after, Derek dragged me away from the scene and up to the room that we shared.

Once he closed the door behind us, I stepped into the room and lowered his hood. Derek gave me another once over and brushed his bangs back, letting out a frustrated breath. "Go wash up and then we'll talk, okay?" he questioned as I gave a slow nod.

"Alright."

I gathered up my pyjamas and headed into the bathroom. As I shut the door, I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and I winced. Not only did I look as though I had taken a swim with my clothes on, but I couldn't mistake the puffiness of my eyes; they were red and swollen. No wonder Derek had decided to chew me out later rather than right now. _Pathetic. I look and feel pathetic._ I thought to myself. Taking a shuddering breath, I turned away from the mirror and stripped out of my clothes before climbing into the shower stall.

I didn't realize how cold I had felt until the jolt of warm water rained down on me. The goosebumps rose on my skin at the difference in temperature and I shivered. I cupped a handful of water and splashed it on my face, washing away any traces of tears.

About twenty minutes later, I stepped out of the bathroom, drier than I had been when I had entered the room. The scent of hot soup lingered in the air and as I closed the bathroom door behind me, Derek looked up from his chair. "Hey," he greeted with a small uncertain smile. "I got you some soup, in case you were hungry."

He nodded towards the steaming bowl that sat on my bedside desk. By the smell of it, it was chicken noodle, my favourite. I wasn't feeling hungry, but I felt grateful towards Derek, who had shown me nothing but compassion and kindness. I gave him a smile. "Thank you, Derek," I said softly as I sat on my bed.

Relief washed through Derek's eyes, as though he was consoled by my smile. "You're welcome."

I stirred the soup as I watched the noodles and bits of chicken float around. "I hung your jacket in the bathroom to dry," I told him as I eyed my bowl.

Derek waved his hand dismissively at my words as though he couldn't care less about the state of his jacket. "What happened today?" he questioned, his voice pleading for me to tell him the truth about Nate and me.

I glanced up at him, his emerald irises revealing his tortured feelings of pain and sadness for my behalf. They were so beautifully green that you could have stared into them and have forgotten everything else. I took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand. Even though Derek didn't deserve any of what Nate had done to him, he needed to know the truth. Taking another shuddering breath, I launched into my retelling of the events that had happened earlier.

By the end of it, Derek had gone still. He had closed his eyes, shutting me off from his emotions. However, I couldn't mistake the anger rolling off of him in waves. Finally, he opened his eyes, his piercing gaze so intense that it sucked the backbone out of me. "That bastard," he whispered harshly. "He should have kept you out of it. It was between us; you had nothing to do with it."

I said nothing as I averted my gaze onto my now cold soup. I thought back to the time that I had spent with Nate and felt the tears that threatened to spill. "Everything was a lie," I whispered.

Derek clenched his fist so hard that his knuckles turned white. "I'm so sorry. You were dragged into this because of me," he said through gritted teeth.

I shook my head at his words. "No, Derek. It's my fault; I was too stupid to see it. I was just too eager to believe."

And with that, a tear slipped down my cheek. I quickly lifted my hand to wipe it off. Derek rose from his chair and sat down next to me, the bed dipping with the added weight. I glanced away as more tears fell freely, ashamed of my weakness. Derek placed his fingers under my chin and turned me to face him again. "It's not your fault either; it's Nate's. He wasn't worth your goodness and he sure as hell doesn't deserve you now. So just let him go," he murmured softly. "You'll find someone much better than he is and you'll be happy."

I looked up at him. "Because you think that I'm worth it?" I asked quietly.

Derek nodded, a small smile lighting up his face. "I absolutely think you're worth it."

And with that, the last of my tears escaped as Derek wrapped his arms around me and I buried my face against his chest, listening to the strong beat of his heart.

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><p><strong>AN: Well, There we have it. I finally got that off of my chest. I think this was one of the first ideas that I came up with and the rest kind of came after it. What did you think? Loved it? Hated it? Yes, I had to use the "worth it" line from the series, since it had such a huge impact on me. The significance of it! Not to mention squealing like crazy when I read it. I hope you guys will forgive me for that. Anyway, the next chapter will be the highly-anticipated basketball game scene. That should be interesting to write. However, end of the term is coming up really fast which means FINAL EXAMS. Save me please. So unfortunately, I'll be heavily preoccupied for the next 2-3 weeks and won't have time to update. But I solemnly swear that I will work hard to update a little more frequently after my exams to make up for it. (I'll have like 2 and a half weeks of relaxation after my last exam on April. 19th).**


	20. The Game

**A/N: Hi everyone. Thank you all SO much for all of your warm reviews for the last chapter. Although I realized that it was a huge turning point in this story, I didn't expect that big of a voice from you guys! You're the best! I apologize for being late in updating this (it's been a month since my last update!).. there's no excuse really. What's sad is that school starts again on monday for me, so I'm definitely not looking forward to attending school again, when I could have taken the summer semester off. Anyway, here's another highly anticipated chapter... where lots of stuff happen here as well!  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers/Darkness Rising. Btw, who else is looking forward to The Rising? I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE DEREK AGAIN. GAH A YEAR? And thanks again to my friend/beta-reader KG for helping me with some of the ideas and giving me his opinion on my writing!  
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><p><strong>Chapter 20: The Game<strong>

You know the feeling you get when your mind decides to disturb your peaceful slumber by telling you that it's time to get up? Well, that's what I tried to ignore as I curled my body closer together, trying to catch a few more moments of sleep. It was just so warm. Not to mention the comfortable weight that pressed against me, giving me a sensation of being shielded from harm. I didn't want to wake up, especially since I couldn't recall having such a good sleep in a really long time. The smell of a forest after the rain came down made me relax and my consciousness started to slip out.

Suddenly, I stopped. _Wait... what?_ Although only half-awake, I was sure that I could hear another set of breathing... that was a lot closer than one would expect. In fact, it was right next to me.

My eyes snapped open at the thought and realized after a few blurry moments that I was staring at a familiar shirt. One of Derek's. Not only that, but I was also curled up next to him, with his arm around me as he slept deeply.

A guy was in my bed.

I jolted awake as instinct kicked in, burning away any trace of possible logical explanations for this particular setup. I yelped in surprise as I scrambled away from him as fast as I could, cracking my head against the wall. A million shards of light burst into fireworks as I winced at the pain, momentarily forgetting what I had been doing. A groan escaped from the other side of my bed brought me back to the situation at hand. Derek had woken up from the cacophony that I had caused.

"W-w-wh-" I stammered as I stared at him through wide eyes.

Derek sat up as he snarled a yawn and rolled back his shoulders. Evidently not as perplexed by our position as I had been. "Relax, Chloe, it's not what you think," he mumbled sleepily as he rubbed his face with one large hand.

"T-then what h-h-happened?"

"You feel asleep after crying so much last night. And you grabbed onto my t-shirt, refusing to let go," Derek explained as he nodded towards his shirt, which indeed looked stretched out, presumably from what I did. "I tried to unclench your hand, but I figured that it would wake you. And after last night, you definitely deserved a break. So I just decided to save us both the trouble and slept in your bed."

"Oh." My cheeks burned with embarrassment because I had no recollection of falling asleep after my break down last night. That and making a huge fuss out of nothing. "Sorry about the shirt," I mumbled.

Derek shrugged. "No big deal. Got a few more like it," he said as he looked at me, his face almost apologetic. "It was kind of cramped, but did you sleep okay?"

_I slept great. In fact, better than usual._ But I wasn't going to say that without putting us both in an awkward situation, so I just managed to let out a squeaky "uh huh" and hoped that he would just let it drop.

Luckily he did and got up to stretch. "3 hours until the game," he murmured as he peeked at the clock. Then another glance back at me, this time almost hesitant. "Are... you still coming to the game?"

I tossed the covers aside as I also stood up. "Yeah, of course," I replied as I straightened my pillows and tried not to imagine Derek sleeping in the space that I had just organized.

"Nate's going to be there too," Derek said softly as I turned to look at him.

His eyes were full of pain and silent anger on my behalf. He couldn't forgive Nate for what he did. Even though it wasn't his fault that this had happened, Derek still blamed himself. And there wasn't anything that I could say or do to relieve him of that.

I sighed as I thought back to yesterday and my heart felt like a block of lead. It still hurt to think that I was foolishly strung along by Nate's plans for revenge against Derek. It was as though I didn't matter to him. My throat constricted as I swallowed painfully. "I know, but I won't avoid him. It's going to take some time for me to get over this whole thing, but after letting it all go last night, I feel better," I replied slowly as I met his eye. "And... oddly enough, I'm even a little relieved to know the truth. Surely that has to be better than the alternative."

Derek looked unconvinced as he glanced away and said nothing. I walked over to him and laid my hand on his arm, the contact making Derek meet my eyes. "Hey, I'm okay now," I told him with a small smile. "_Really_. You don't need to worry about me. Ignore Nate and just concentrate on your game, alright?"

At the set of his jaw, I knew that Derek wasn't going to forget this anytime soon, but he said nothing and nodded, which was good enough for me. "Well, I don't know about you, but I didn't really get much to eat last night, so I'm starving. Let's go get some breakfast," I grinned, watching as the tension in Derek's face relax into a small smile, one that I had grown familiar with.

"Yeah."

After getting our breakfast, we headed to our usual table in the back of the cafeteria. As usual, Liz, Tori and Simon were already there, chatting in high spirits, presumably about the game today. However, as we approached the table, they looked up and the conversation ceased. It was as though someone had thrown a bucket of ice cold water over the table. "Good morning," I greeted after a moment's hesitation.

Liz gave me a once over, her cerulean eyes dark with worry. "Chloe," she said softly.

I gave her a small smile as I nodded towards the bench. "If it's okay with you, I'd prefer to eat while sitting down," I joked.

Liz looked around her and realized that there wasn't any room for Derek and me, so with a quick apology, she moved down the bench. I set my tray down and took my place while Derek sat down beside me. I glanced around the table to see my friends looking at me with concerned looks. "What happened last night?" Liz questioned finally, breaking the silence.

I swallowed thickly as I lowered my gaze to my bowl of oatmeal. "Nate and I broke up," I replied.

Twin looks of surprise crossed Tori's and Simon's face while Liz gasped. "Why?" she asked quietly, her brows furrowing. "You guys were getting along so well."

I flinched as I thought about our relationship. It was true; everything was going great between us. But what did that matter when Nate lied to me? Our relationship was something that he just fabricated for his own convenience. It was never real. Taking a deep breath, I launched into my story for the second time about what had taken place yesterday.

When I had finished, a stunned silence fell upon our table. However, after a few seconds, Tori was the first to break it. Standing up, she pounded the table with her palms, causing everything on the table to quiver. "That asswipe!" she hissed furiously, as several heads turned in our direction, obviously alarmed by the commotion. "How dare he?"

Simon quickly tugged her down. From the angry set of his eyebrows, I could tell that he was just as infuriated, though he was more subtle about it than Tori was. "Sit down. I'm sure that Chloe doesn't want an audience," he said through clenched teeth.

At the mention of my name, Tori's gaze flew to mine and the rage in her face dissipated a little. "Sorry," she muttered as she sat back down, her eyes flashing with anger. "I'm just frickin' pissed off."

Liz's face crumpled up. "I can't believe that he'd do that," she whispered, her voice unsteady.

"I know. I couldn't quite take it in either, but it's the truth. Nate didn't even deny it when I confronted him," I said, staring into my bowl of oatmeal.

We sat there simmering in silence, our meals forgotten. "And to think we'll have to play with him today," Simon added. "Just great. I don't think I can stomach seeing that bastard's smug face."

I shook my head. "You can't let this issue interfere with your game. That goes to you too, Derek." I glanced in his direction. "I'm grateful that you guys are on my side, but I can handle this. There's no reason for you guys to lose your cool over this matter."

When the guys didn't say anything, I sighed as I nodded to their plates, still full of food. "Anyways, you need your energy, so eat up," I pointed out.

At my words, Derek and Simon did finish their breakfast though with less vigour than usual. For Derek, who could wolf down any amount of food and enjoy every bite, it seemed almost tasteless. When I thought about seeing Nate again so soon, it chased away my appetite, but I ate enough so that I didn't worry my friends. As we finished off the last bit, a figure approached our table and we looked up.

It was Peter Ricci, one of Simon's and Derek's friends. He was also one of the nicer guys on the basketball team. "Hey," he greeted.

Simon shot his teammate a grin. "What's up? We're supposed to meet already?"

Peter shook his head. "Not yet, we still have another hour before we're supposed to meet. Coach is getting antsy since this is our opening game, so he got me to tell you guys to get prepared," he said, looking from Simon to Derek.

"Got it," Derek rumbled as he drained the last of his OJ and stacked his dishes together. Then he turned to me. "I'm going up to the room to get ready, so I'll see you later."

I nodded. "Sure."

As Simon and Derek turned away to place their trays on the counter, Peter looked at us. "You guys coming to the game?" he asked.

We nodded. His grin grew. "Cool. Make sure you cheer us on."

"Don't worry, we will," Liz said, as Derek and Simon returned.

Peter looked a little surprised for a moment, before giving her a warm smile. Then he left with his teammates. I blinked at the motion and turned to look back at Liz, who was turning a little pink. I raised an eyebrow at her. "So... what was that?" I prompted.

Liz shifted her gaze nervously. "What was _what_?"

Tori leaned across the table as she gave her friend a close inspection. "You like Peter," she teased, a impish smirk forming on her face.

Liz's cheeks flushed at the accusation. "No I don't," she replied, her gaze darting everywhere but at us.

Tori and I exchanged knowing looks and shared a secret smile. Then as we looked back at the third member of our trio, Liz scowled. "_Fine_, I admit it. I like him, okay?" she confessed after a while.

"Ah you're so adorable," Tori remarked. "Just look at the blush."

Liz rolled her eyes good-humorously. "You guys are terrible friends," she said mockingly hurt.

I smirked. "Nah, you totally love us. How did you get to know him anyway? He's in Gen-Ed, like Derek and Tori."

"Yeah he is, but it turned out that he played the piano when he was younger. So when our choir class needed a piano accompaniment, Peter offered," Liz explained with a shrug. "Last year, we got someone from the senior music class to play for us, but this year, they have their practice during the same block as we have choir, so we had to find someone else."

"And so, you fell in love with his heavenly playing," Tori added with a roll of her eyes.

"Like I said, you guys are terrible friends," Liz repeated in mock anger, but it was ruined when a small giggle escaped her mouth.

Within seconds, the three of us burst into giggles and laughter, ignoring any weird looks that spectators gave us. It felt great not to think about Nate and wallow in self-pity. I knew that I would have to deal with him eventually, and I had already decided not to avoid him, but right now, I was grateful to have a distraction.

Once breakfast was over, I made my way up to the room that Derek and I shared, feeling a lot happier and lighter than I had felt last night. As I closed the door behind me, muffled sounds of the shower running greeted me. I smiled to myself. _Who would take a shower before a game? Only Derek would._ But I guessed it was a way to calm his nerves for the game. After all, it was the season opener.

There was still about two hours before the game started and an hour before the team had to meet, so I decided to send an email to Aunt Lauren and my dad, telling them about my school life, though I left out the part about Nate. Then I spent the next few minutes checking my favourite site and blogs before I heard a knock at the door.

I frowned. We weren't expecting anyone, but it was probably Simon, getting his brother. I glanced back at the floor, where Derek's sports bag was half-packed. Not to mention that Derek was still in the bathroom. I got up and answered the door. "Derek's not-" I started to say but the words froze in my mouth when I saw who was standing not a foot from me.

It was Nate.

A strangled sound escaped from my throat as I stared at my ex-boyfriend. No matter what I had told myself earlier, about not avoiding him, I still wasn't ready to see him just yet. The hurt burned through me and I gritted my teeth tightly. My throat constricted as I swallowed painfully, not knowing what to say. _Take a deep breath, Chloe. Just see what he wants and then tell him to leave._ I agreed with my inner voice and took a shuddering breath. "What do you want?" I asked coldly, silently praising myself for not stuttering.

Nate met my gaze, his pale green eyes filled with hurt and remorse. "Chloe," he breathed as he took a step towards me.

"Don't."

I retreated backwards and Nate froze, his expression pained. Then he realized that I wanted to keep the distance between us and remained where he was, his arms hanging limply at his sides. He took a moment to compose himself, as though the confident Nate that I knew had disappeared without a trace. But then again, it was also probable that I didn't know him in the first place. After all, it had all been an act.

I scanned his face, and noted the dark shadows that hung below his eyes. As well as the paleness of his face. It was as though he went through a restless night. I swallowed again. "_What_ do you want, Nate?" I repeated as Nate's eyes flew to meet mine.

"I... I want to talk," he said quietly.

I scowled at him, determined to keep my heart locked. There was no way that I was going to let him push me over. "We're done, Nate," I snapped. "There's _nothing _to talk about."

Nate shook his head. "_Please_, Chloe. Hear me out," he pleaded, his voice filled with anguish and misery.

Some part of me wanted to just slam that door in his face and say "screw him", but there was another part of me that Nate had latched onto. I hated it, the way his words affected me. He didn't have any right to come here and ask for forgiveness, especially after what he had done. But I also knew that I couldn't move on until I listened to what he wanted to say. As I opened my mouth to agree, a thud of heavy footsteps erupted behind me.

Without another word, with him raging like a storm, Derek flew past me and grabbed Nate by his collar, ignoring my protests. "What the hell are you doing?" he roared.

Nate's eyes widened in astonishment before narrowing at his teammate. It was hard to tell which face showed greater hatred towards the other. He struggled for a moment before jerking out of Derek's grip. Panting slightly, Nate stepped back, determination set on his face.

"I need to tell Chloe something."

Derek scowled, his face darkening in anger. "Yeah? Well _too_ bad. You don't _get_ to talk to her." And with that, he slammed the door in Nate's face, before turning on me.

I glimpsed the monstrous expression that Derek wore and flinched. His eyes were full of barely controlled anger while the set of his shoulders was tense and rigid. Waves of fury rolled off him so strong that I couldn't help but to shrink back a little under the scrutiny of his gaze.

Derek started at my movement and blinked, as though mentally shifting gears. I watched as his expression changed, the darkness drawing back from his face, my Derek returning. "I..." He swallowed and tried again. "I'm sorry... I'm not mad at you. I'm just-"

"-pissed at Nate," I finished for him as I gave him a small smile. "I know."

A sigh, as though relieved that I understood. "Right. Well uh...I should get my stuff together, since it's almost time to meet up with the team," Derek said as he raked a hand through his hair.

I nodded. "Yeah."

So an hour later, I sat with Tori and Liz in the stands as the guys came into the gym in their uniforms. One by one they marched onto the court, dressed in royal blue and white as we cheered deafeningly for their arrival. However, when I saw who was leading them, my heart stuttered. It was Nate.

His face was tense and serious as he made his way across the gym, not even glancing at the crowd. From the set of his shoulders, I knew that he was anxious and distressed about the match, as though he couldn't afford to have any mistakes. _He's probably thinking of his dad again. _I thought as I watched him with conflicting emotions. I couldn't imagine what it must be like for him, to have his only remaining parent to not care about him. Nate wanted his dad to see him so badly that he became jealous of Derek and used me as an instrument of revenge. I hated him for lying to me, but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel a little bad for Nate. _I wonder what he wanted to tell me before Derek had interrupted._

Luckily, I didn't have time to dwell on it because Liz nudged me and pointed to the rest of the team. "Look! There's Simon and Derek."

Sure enough, Simon walked next to his brother and glanced at the stands. Upon seeing us, he shot us a blazing grin and nudged his brother, pointing in our direction. Derek looked up and nodded once, his face impassive. If I had expected the same reaction from Derek, I would have been disappointed. But I knew that he was already preoccupied with concentrating on the game.

After Lyle Academy's team got onto their side of the court, the opposing team made their entrance. They sported brilliant red and black jerseys, and walked with a stunning air about them. Tall, athletic and powerful, I knew that our team wasn't going to have an easy match. I also couldn't help but notice that both colours looked dangerous, as though they were meant to intimidate the other team. I wasn't really into watching sports, but I knew that sometimes there was bloodshed during a match and I really hoped that it wouldn't happen today.

As the guys practiced speed dribbling and shooting, something had caught my attention and I frowned, trying to determine what it was. A few moments later, I had my answer; it was Kit, Simon's and Derek's dad. He was down below trying to find a seat with a good view. I stood up and waved to him. "Mr. Bae!"

He glanced up at the mention of his name and it took a few seconds before his eyes met mine. Then a smile crossed his lips and he made his way up to where we sat. "Hello Chloe," he said as he took his seat next to me. "And who are your friends?"

I introduced Liz and Tori and they both greeted him. "I'm glad that I made it in time. It seems that they're just warming up," Kit commented as he watched his sons practice.

I nodded. "The game won't be starting for another ten minutes, but I'm already nervous," I said. "I heard from Derek that Southpoint is a strong team."

Kit smiled. "Derek doesn't show it, but I'm sure that he's nervous as well. Will it be your first time watching them play an official match?"

Another nod. "Ah, I see. There's nothing quite like someone who puts their all into what they love. Derek and Simon will show you that," he said as he looked down at his sons fondly.

We watched as the teams went for a few more rounds of shooting and passing before their coaches called them in for a brief discussion. Five minutes later, five players from each side got on the court, getting ready to start the game. Derek, who was the tallest player on the team, stood facing against another player on the opposite team. From the look on their faces, they were both prepared to be the one who got the ball.

When the referee tossed the ball into the air, it seemed as though everything was in slow motion. Both players leaped into the air as their arms stretched as high as they could go, desperate to one-up the other. Inch by inch the ball drifted upwards, given momentum by the force applied by the referee in black and white. Then suddenly, I blinked and everything resumed its original speed. Like lightning, the ball vanished from my view and cheers could be heard all around me as I searched for the object.

Hearing the squeak of rubber sneakers race down the court, I focused to see which team had the ball. Through the process of elimination, my eyes finally landed on the said object, which Simon had possession of. Apparently, Derek was successful in being the one who got it to his team.

However, once Simon was forced to stop with the ball in his hands, he looked back and forth to find someone to pass it to. It had become a man-to-man defence, with each player blocking an opposing player. It didn't help that his own marker was doing everything he could to prevent Simon from passing. Finally, a senior that I didn't know from our side broke away from his check, and waved for the pass.

As soon as Simon did so, the formation of the game changed again, this time, both sides racing towards the net. After a quick feint, we got the point. With a roar, the audience cheered, celebrating the first point of the game. "Nice assist!" Kit called out as Simon shot his dad a quick grin before finding his mark again.

It went on like that for the next little while, scoring and then being scored on. It seemed that whenever Lyle Academy got a net, the opposing team returned the favour, keeping the points close. Slowly, as the time ticked away, I could notice that exhaustion was starting to set in on both sides. Sweat dripped from their faces as they braced themselves, struggling to breathe. Some were even injured. The coaches continued to switch players back and forth, but even then, the players that had the most time on the court were the starters.

As the team's MVP, Derek definitely lived up to his title. For someone his size, he was unbelievably graceful, weaving in and out between players while still maintaining his ball control. Normally in school, he was difficult to approach due to his intimidating appearance. His outstanding social skills didn't really help either. But here on the court? Derek got along well with his teammates. He was usually the one who got passed to for a chance to shoot or did the passing if he couldn't. However, I couldn't help but notice that there was one person who he refused to have any contact with. It was Nate. But it didn't really matter until the final quarter, where both schools were neck to neck in the race to get as many points as possible.

The other team had possession of the ball when they were blocked off by Derek and the others. They weren't close enough to attempt a shot, so the only option available was to pass to another teammate. However, with a man-to-man defence like in the beginning, it proved to be difficult to get a clear pass. They couldn't afford to have the ball intercepted with the score so close, so the ball handler glanced around for a free teammate. And during that slight hesitation, Peter snuck up behind his mark and knocked the ball out of his grip, enabling a loud cheer from the stands as Derek scooped up the ball, dribbling furiously down the other side of the court.

Desperate to keep Derek from scoring, the rival team kept at his heels, not giving him enough time to set up for a three-pointer. Grunting in frustration, Derek backed off, dribbling with one hand while using the other to keep his marker away. Within seconds, both teams had arrived, each determined to win. Derek glanced at each member in turn, but they were unable to lose their checks. That is, until Nate did a feint which made his marker trip and lose their footing. Taking advantage of his freedom, Nate raced off to the side, shouting for Derek to pass.

Derek glanced at Nate, who dodged the players in between and I saw the hardened look on his face. My heart thudded wildly against my chest as I recognized this look of hatred. Even before he moved, I knew what he was going to do. _Please Derek! Don't do it!_ I wanted to cry out, but he did the exact thing that I feared that he would do; He refused to cooperate with Nate.

Derek jerked away from his marker and took off, swerving in between the players, determined to score for himself. I watched as Nate's look of shock evaporated into one of anger as he scrambled towards the net. As another defending player stood in Derek's path, hoping to accuse him of charging, Derek dodged to the side and shot from an ugly angle. I held my breath as the ball flew through the air, praying silently that it would go in, but it didn't. Instead, the ball bounced off the rim and into the hands of the other team.

And off they went to attempt a shot of their own. However, I wasn't watching them; I was too busy staring at Derek, unable to believe that he messed up his game because he didn't want to work with Nate. To make matters worse, Nate flew at him. "What the hell was that? I was wide open!" he yelled, his voice ringing through the gym.

Derek shot him a glare, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Shut the fuck up. I don't need to listen to you," he replied, his voice low, but audible all the same.

"I'm the team captain!"

"Yeah? Doesn't seem like it to me. In fact, you haven't gotten a basket at all this game. All you've done is run around the court pointlessly."

I flinched at his words and before I knew it, Nate punched Derek in the face. Derek's head snapped back at the impact as he fell to the floor, blinking in surprise. Then he recovered and punched Nate back. The crowd gasped as we stood up in shock. "Derek! Nate! Stop it!" I yelled as I stumbled to get out of the stands.

But they continued to fight. Fists were flying everywhere as the two of them got tangled in a whirl of blue and white, moving so fast that I couldn't see what was happening. Finally, the referee and Lyle Academy's coach rushed to the scene and pulled them apart. All four guys were panting heavily. Once they were restrained, the coach barked orders for the substitution of two players. It was clear that Derek and Nate were out of the game.

I made my way down to the bench where Derek sat, who was seething silently at Nate, sitting on an identical bench halfway across the room. From what I could see, Derek had a bloodied nose while Nate held his hand to his eye, where a shiner was starting to surface. As I approached my roommate, Derek stiffened. "Go back to the stands, Chloe," he said through gritted teeth.

"But Derek-"

He cut me off with a level look. "I mean it. The game is still on and you're not allowed to be down here."

I hesitated as I looked at his blood covered hand. As I opened my mouth to argue, I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked back to see Kit shaking his head at me. "We should do what Derek says," he said softly, his face an emotionless mask. "He can handle himself."

I glanced back at Derek, whose expression softened. "Please," he added and I finally nodded, retreating back to my spot.

The game continued, but the excitement that I had felt earlier vanished as though someone had smothered the fire with a frying pan. Due to the commotion that the fight caused, the other team was able to score a three-pointer, and from there, the gap in the scores increased. Finally, the match ended, with an eleven-point difference and Southpoint was awarded the victor. Disheartened, Lyle Academy's team got up to congratulate them before sinking back down on the team bench.

One by one, the crowd disappeared until my friends, Kit and I were the last ones to remain besides the team. With their heads lowered and their spirits dampened, they looked so different from the proud team that had walked into the gym nearly an hour earlier. It was made worse when their coach loomed over them, his fury evident by the redness of his face. "What is the matter with you lot?" he demanded, his spit flying. "I've never been so _humiliated_ in my life! To have two of my best players going at it with each other!" A sharp glance at the two guys. "Because of your foolishness, you cost us the game."

No one said anything as their moods sunk even lower. Even Kit, who looked like he wanted to defend his sons, was unable to say anything. The coach bore down on Derek and Nate, who flinched under his presence. My heart sank as I glanced at their coach. There was no way that they would get off unscathed. However, the next words that came from him took my breath away.

"As punishment, the two of you are not only demoted to second-string, but both of you are suspended from any team activities for the next two weeks. Including games," the coach hissed as his eyes shot back to Nate.

"And_ you_ have been stripped of the title of 'Team Captain'."

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><p><strong>AN: Dun dun DUN! -evil music plays in the background- I'm terribly cruel, aren't I? Both Derek and Nate got booted off the starters for their team! What will they do? More importantly, what will Chloe do? She's not gonna take that lying down for sure. Haha, I'm gonna admit that I don't really have much planned for the next chapter, but I'm praying that it'll turn out alright, since the rest of my story has turned out better than I had originally hoped for (I probably only had like 40 percent of it planned whereas everything else was a stroke of inspiration). **

**And now onto my THANK YOU list! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing my story! I know that I sound like a broken record, but you guys really do make me want to continue this story, since there are countless of times when I felt like scrapping this story. But knowing that there's people out there who want to read what I write make me sit on my butt and get it done. So once again, thank you all! (and in no particular order...):  
><strong>

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	21. My Realization

**A/N: Hey everyone, thank you all SO much for your reviews for my last chapter. I wasn't expecting such a response after chapter 19, but I'm glad that I was wrong. It's been over a month since I last updated. I'm so sorry! School's been pretty ridiculous lately and I end up exhausted by the time the day is over, which didn't leave a lot of writing time. But I did get some done every few days or so, so I finished the last little bit today and was able to post it. Lots of stuff happen in this one, which is a pretty important chapter, so I hope you will enjoy it!  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers. Thanks to my beta-reader, KG, for working out the kinks with me in the story!  
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><p><strong>Chapter 21: My Realization<strong>

A stunned silence filled the gym as the last of Coach Turner's words left his mouth. Then when they sunk in, a string of protests rose up from the team. "What? You're joking, right?" Simon sputtered in disbelief as the others echoed his sentiments.

Coach Turner shook his head as his lips formed a thin line. The look in his eyes killed any ray of hope that I had. "No, I am not joking," he said evenly as he turned to look at Derek and Nate, whose faces were both pale with shock. "I have warned you before that despite your differences, you two are expected to work together as a team and to leave any disagreements off the court. However, the two of you have acted irresponsibly today and as a result, the others have suffered the consequences of your actions. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to put you both on suspension, to give you time to reflect over your ill judgement. Are we clear?"

Derek's jaw tensed, his eyes burning furiously. As much as it had hurt being chewed out like that in front of everyone, I could tell from his expression that he knew that what he had done was wrong. No matter how much Derek hated Nate, he should have dealt with him outside of the game. Preferably without either of them getting hurt in the process.

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing and finally nodded. "Yes sir," Derek mumbled.

"And you, Bozian?"

My eyes darted over to Nate's face, who looked as though he had been slapped. Despite being upset with what he had done, I felt a rush of sympathy for him. Nate had worked hard for the title of "team captain", in hopes of getting his father's approval, but now that was gone, all of that hope vanished along with it. Nate had lost the one chance he could have had of pleasing his only remaining family member. For those few terrible moments, I could have sworn that his eyes were shiny with unshed tears, but he blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. "Understood."

An approving nod from their coach. "Good. Now, Ricci and Samuels, the two of you are on first string." A look at Simon, who looked as though he had more to say about his brother's demotion, but kept quiet. "And you are the new captain, Bae. Don't disappoint me," Coach Turner added before raising his voice to address the whole team. "Now hit the showers!"

One by one, the basketball team rose. I watched as the newly-promoted senior was slapped on the back by his friends. I recognized him as the jerk who had tried to gang up on Derek earlier on in the year because he was furious that a sophomore like Derek was picked to be on the first string rather than him. Before he left in the direction of the change room, the senior turned back and shot Derek an arrogant sneer as if to say, "you deserved your demotion".

Simon shot up, his face furious and was about to let the retreating senior have it, but Derek grabbed the back of his brother's jersey and gave him a stern look. "Cool it," he muttered. "Don't let Coach Turner have any reason to change his mind about naming you as captain."

Simon stopped as the realization hit. Then he took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "You're right. Mark's not worth it anyway."

As the gym cleared, only one other team member remained. It was Peter. He approached us slowly and reluctantly, as though uncertain of his place. "Look, Derek. I'm sorry about-" he started to say, but Derek cut him off. "Don't be. You've been wanting to be on first-string for a while and you've worked hard for it. So yeah, you deserve that spot."

Peter looked unconvinced and frowned at his friend, his dark eyebrows furrowing. "But what are you going to do?" he asked.

My roommate shrugged. "I'll get my spot back some day and get Mark-" he nodded to the arrogant senior. "-demoted to second-string again."

Peter chuckled softly, visibly feeling better. "You do that, man. I'm gonna go wash up," he said.

Kit turned to his sons. "You guys should as well. After, we can go grab some pizza for lunch." A glance at Tori, Liz and me. "If you girls are free, please join us. It'll be my treat," he added as we grinned up at him.

"Thanks, Mr. Bae!" we chorused.

As we waited for the guys, we chatted, avoiding the subject of today's game. After a handful of minutes, the guys' locker door opened and a few of Derek's teammates walked by, still looking dejected by the result of their opening game. Then a flash of flame red hair caught my attention as Nate entered my peripheral vision.

His shoulders slumped heavily, as though the weight upon them was finally too much for him to bear. Nate's face was that of one who had given up hope. As he walked by the bleachers where we sat, his gaze lifted and met mine. After a brief moment of surprise, I watched as his pale green eyes reflected his misery and humiliation as he quickly averted them, trying to prevent me from reading his emotions.

A figure stepped out from the shadows from beside the bleachers and approached Nate, her glossy red hair flowing behind her. I had thought that everyone had left except for us after the game ended in a disappointing loss, but apparently Melinda had stayed. And evidently, she had heard the aftermath, judging by the stiffness of her face and stride. Nate's jaw tightened as he walked past her, not bothering to stop.

Pain flickered across Melinda's face as Nate exited the gym behind her. A few seconds later, she went after him. Tori snorted as we watched the two retreating figures. "What a dick. Even someone like Lyle Academy's princess deserves someone better than him," she scoffed.

I turned to face her. "It doesn't excuse him for what he did, but I can't help but to feel bad for him."

Liz nodded in agreement. "Same. His title meant a lot to him and now that it's gone…" she trailed off.

"… He doesn't have anything going for him, right?" Tori finished for her. A roll of her eyes. "Oh _please_. He's just looking for someone to pity him. Nate's not the only one with familial issues here. My mother doesn't give me the time of day either, but do I let that fact ruin my life? Of course not."

"So, you're saying that Nate needs to realize that he shouldn't continue to wait for his father's appraisal, right?" I stated slowly.

"Exactly. If Bozian Senior is so in love with himself, he should just clone himself rather than having a son. That way, Nate would have to deal with his dad's bullcrap."

What Tori said made sense, after all, she had been through a similar ordeal. Despite everything that she had done to please her mother, in the end, it still wasn't enough. But instead of letting it consume her life, Tori moved on, knowing that Mrs. Enright would one day look back upon her actions and regret not knowing her daughter the way she should have. And Nate needed to realize the same thing.

When Simon and Derek emerged, their hair damp from their shower, my roommate had cleaned up from the fight, the traces of blood gone. Although the edges of his mouth looked a little sore, nothing seemed broken. It seemed that the blood was mainly from his nose when Nate had punched him.

"Do I pass, Dr. Saunders?" Derek murmured as he fell into pace with me.

I shrugged. "I guess so. Does anything still hurt?" I asked quietly as we walked away from the school and towards the visitor's parking lot.

"Nah, I'm good."

I gave a pointed look at the swollen area around the right side of his mouth but didn't say anything. Although I was horrified at the idea of Derek and Nate actually fighting each other, I had to admit that there was a small part of me that was almost a little happy, because somehow, I felt that Derek was fighting for me. Sure, the tension between the two guys had been there for a while, but even then, Derek would keep a level head and handle things without getting into a fight. But it was because of me that Derek dropped the barriers and went at Nate.

However, just as fleeting as those feelings came, they were replaced with a stab of guilt, cold and sharp. _Because_ Derek had punched Nate, he was now saddled with being suspended temporarily from the team. To make matters worse, he wasn't even on first-string any more. And it was partially my fault. If somehow I had handled it better or if I had known sooner, then maybe I could have prevented Derek from losing his spot on the team.

I climbed into the back of Kit's van after Liz and absentmindedly put on my seat belt as I heard Derek slammed the door shut behind us. Simon sat up front with his dad and chatted quietly with his dad while the rest of us fell into silence.

We spent the rest of the day with Kit as we talked about just anything with the exception of today's game. Although it seemed that Simon had recovered, his brother clearly had not. During the time that we spent at the restaurant, Derek ate noticeably less than he usually would. Instead of wolfing the slices down one after another, his eyes looked rather distant, as though he had his mind elsewhere. We tried to get him to converse with us, but after a few one word replies from him, we figured that it was better to leave him alone, since he was obviously still upset about his suspension and demotion from the team.

Once the night came to an end, we thanked Kit for the meal and went our separate ways; Liz and Tori went back to Dorm A, while Derek, Simon and I returned to Dorm C. However, just before heading off to our rooms, Simon took me aside as Derek signed us in with the dorm head. "Will you keep an eye on my brother? I'm a little worried about him," Simon murmured, his voice low as he glanced back at Derek. "I mean, it's Derek. He'll be fine, but you know…"

I nodded. "Of course. I'll look after him."

Simon gave me a grateful smile. "Thanks," he said quickly before clearing his throat just as his brother caught up to us. "So, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow. Good night."

"Night," Derek and I chorused back as we climbed up the stairs to our room.

Once the door closed behind us, we fell into an uncomfortable silence. I wanted to talk about what happened today during the game, but I wasn't sure how to approach it without making it seem like it was worse than it was. Dropping my bag onto the floor, I turned to see that Derek did the same, his gym bag falling onto the floor with a soft thump. Without turning, Derek said, "You should go wash up before heading to bed."

"R-right."

I collected my pyjamas from my dresser and hurried off to shower. I spent the next twenty minutes in the bathroom trying to come up with something to talk to Derek about, but I didn't quite know how to start it. Disappointed with the lack of results, I entered the room, refreshed and slightly pink from the warmth of the water. I glanced over at Derek, who had already changed into his sweats and t-shirt and was now lying on top of his bed, playing some sort of strategy game on his laptop. I tossed my clothes into my to-be-washed pile that was growing larger and larger. I would do that soon... just not now.

As I got ready for bed, Derek placed his laptop on his desk and turned to face me. "Lights off?" he asked.

I nodded and he walked over to the light switch and left us both in the dark, with the exception of the moonlight that shone through the uncovered window. Ever since I was a kid, I hated sleeping in the dark. I used to have vivid nightmares that monsters hid in the shadows, waiting for me to climb out of bed. It was kind of silly, but I got used to not sleeping in total darkness, so in the beginning of our living arrangements, I had asked Derek to leave the blinds open if he didn't mind. And of course, he was fine with it.

I lifted the covers and slid underneath as my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. Muffled footsteps sounded across the room as Derek padded back to his bed. The whisper of soft fabric as Derek laid down. Then total silence.

_Well... this is awkward_.

Normally, after lights out, we would just bid each other "good night" and go straight to sleep. However, since Derek didn't say anything, he must have wanted to talk as well. It was just that neither of us knew how to bring it up. _Oh screw it... here goes nothing._ "Derek?"

A grunt in the place of a reply. I swallowed as I turned to face his back. "About today..." I prompted, hoping that he would continue for me, but no such luck. "I just wanted to say... thanks."

A rustle of fabric as Derek sat up and looked at me, his expression hidden in the darkness. I pushed myself up and leaned against the backboard of my bed, facing him. When he didn't say anything, I hurried on. "I-i mean, for punching Nate," I said quietly.

It took a few moments for Derek to respond, but when he did, it wasn't exactly what I had expected. "Huh. Didn't take you for a violent person," Derek rumbled, with a faint hint of humour in his voice.

"No! I mean, yes... er, _no_ I am _not_ a violent person... usually." I added lamely, my cheeks starting to heat. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm rather happy that you kind of got back at Nate, after everything that he did... to both of us, I guess. Even if I shouldn't be."

"Why not?"

"W-well, it's kind of my fault that this whole thing happened. Not only did you get hurt, but you got suspended and demoted from your position on the team," I explained as I hugged my knees.

More fabric crinkling, though this time, Derek tossed his blankets away and sat on the edge of his bed, his face partially illuminated by the stream of light that divided the room into two. His eyebrows knitted closer together as a scowl deepened on his face. "I thought I told you yesterday. You did nothing wrong, Chloe," he said, his voice a low growl. "It was my decision to bait him. And I wanted to fight Nate. It was just a matter of time that it came."

When I didn't say anything to this, Derek continued. "Yeah, it wasn't the smartest idea to brawl in the middle of a match, but I don't regret it. He's an asshole and he deserved every blow that I gave him. As for my suspension? I'll figure something out. I always do."

"Really?" I asked in a small voice.

A nod followed by a faint twitch by the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, so don't worry about me, okay?"

I couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth spread through me at Derek's words. He didn't say things to simply make you feel better, but rather because he meant every word that he said. Derek would find a way to get out of this mess eventually, but I wanted to help him in any way I could. _Maybe I could talk to his coach and persuade him to remove Derek's suspension. Or have it shortened. _It didn't seem likely that Coach Turner would suddenly let Derek back onto the first-string, but at the very least, shortening or removing Derek's suspension wasn't impossible. I smiled, feeling remarkably happier than a few hours ago.

"'Kay."

The rest of the night passed peacefully as I resolved to find Coach Turner on Monday. But first, it meant getting past Sunday, which I had previously planned to meet up with Melinda to finish our creative writing project.

After a light breakfast and leaving my friends behind, I stood outside door A110, the threshold between Melinda's realm and the rest of Dorm A. If I had to picture myself in some medieval adventure movie, I would be the brave, young heroine, with nothing but a sword at my side, about to march into enemy territory all on my own. There was the chance that I would not make it out alive, but it needed to be done.

The problem was that I didn't have a sword at my side. Optimistically, one could say that I was probably not going to die by Melinda's hands, but you never know. Anything could happen behind that closed door. Taking a shuddering breath, I summoned my courage and knocked on the door.

Nothing. I frowned as I knocked again a few moments later. Did Melinda forget that we were working together today? Figures. All that preparation for nothing. As I knocked for the third time, the door suddenly swung open, leaving my hand in midair. "I heard you the first time, I'm not deaf," Melinda grumbled as she stood in the door way, a scowl evident on her face.

I nearly did a double take at her appearance. She looked nothing like the Melinda that I normally saw at school. In fact, she looked almost normal. Make-up free and her auburn hair tied in a pony tail, Melinda wore loose sweats and a Lyle Academy t-shirt in contrast to her usual trendy and designer clothing. Not to mention the unconcealed shadows from beneath each eye. Evidently, she hasn't been sleeping well.

Melinda's eyes narrowed at me as I stared at her in silence. "Are you done gawking, Chloe Saunders?" she snapped as she crossed her arms across her chest.

Yep, she definitely got off the wrong side of the bed this morning. "Let's get started," I said simply..

I brushed past her and into her room. It was a fairly large room designed for wheelchair access, but since no one on this floor required it, apparently it had gone to Melinda. And it also seemed that she got the room to herself, judging by the fact that there was only one set of furniture. It was remarkably clean, with everything in its place. It was even cleaner than Derek's side of the room. Finally I saw a small coffee table placed in the middle of the room, with our written assignment as well as a few pens.

Taking my cue from Melinda, I sat down facing her across the table. "I've looked over some of it and I changed a few things that interrupted the flow of the passage. Take a look at it," Melinda said as she nodded towards the paper.

Clearing my throat, I took the paper in my hands and read the adjustments that Melinda made in red. I went through the section a few times with the new additions before setting it back on the table. As much as I hated to admit it, Melinda was right; it was rather chunky, but with her editing, it was a lot smoother. "Well?" Melinda drummed her fingers on the tabletop in impatience.

"It's a lot better now."

"Thought so."

As Melinda worked on the assignment, my eyes darted around the room, taking in the details. After all, someone's room was supposed to tell a lot about them right? Her shelves were full of books and from the distance, I could see that they weren't just regular books, but rather they were literary pieces of art. From what I could make out, I could see authors varying from Jane Austen to Charles Dickens. Homer's Odyssey, The Iliad, To Kill a Mockingbird, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and a bunch of other classics that I could bet my allowance that very few people I knew have read this many. It seemed that in comparison to more exciting gadgets that the twenty-first century brought, reading took a backseat to them all. I just didn't think that Melinda was that type of person, but apparently, there was a lot more to the eye than just the surface.

My eyes roamed around the room until they landed on a bunch of framed photos that sat on her dresser. Some of them were pictures of her family, others were of her and her best friend Gwen. However, the one that caught my attention was a clear picture of Nate and Melinda. Presumably from a few years ago, given the youthfulness in their faces. I got up and took a closer look at the picture, expecting Melinda to stop me, but she didn't.

In the picture, the two of them grinned at the camera as they held hands, looking perfectly happy and carefree. It was another side of Melinda that I didn't know. She didn't have a belittling expression or her usual attitude that I saw regularly. Rather, she looked kinder and a whole other person. Photo Melinda had long straight auburn hair and a smattering of freckles across her nose bridge. On the other hand, Nate looked like the Nate that I knew. He didn't change a lot in appearance, but instead of the haunted look I now recognized, he also looked jubilant. Both of them had changed so much.

"That was taken about 3 years ago."

I turned to see Melinda looking at the photo with a flash of wistfulness across her face. "We were happier as kids back then, without all the complications that we have now," Melinda said uncharacteristically soft.

"Me, you mean."

"Not just you. Back then, Nate wasn't so obsessed with getting his father's attention, but as we grew older, he started to change. We used to be so close, but now, Nate doesn't want anything to do with me." Melinda's voice faltered on the last sentence as her icy blue eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

As much as Melinda and I didn't get along, I sympathized for her. She truly cared for him, but he rebuffed those feelings over and over again. I wanted to reach out and tell her that "it was okay", but it wasn't my place to do so. Instead, I said quietly, "Nate hurt me too."

Melinda grew quiet at my response and I thought I said something that I shouldn't have, but she didn't seem mad, just tired. "Nate... he's such an idiot." She let out a humourless laugh. "But I guess that makes me the bigger idiot because I couldn't let him go after all this time. But now, I think I can."

She swallowed thickly as I watched her struggle against the tide of her emotions. It was difficult for her, I could see that painfully obvious, but somewhere inside of me, I was a little happy for her. She was finally letting him go and in the process, freeing herself as well. Melinda could move on and perhaps, she could find happiness too.

To save the remains of her dignity, I collected the assignment and murmured softly that I would finish the rest, before slipping out of her room. As the door closed, I could hear her heart-breaking sobs inside and felt the pain of a lost love. I clutched the papers to my chest as I blinked away tears of my own. Although it was never voiced, the raging war between Melinda and I was finally over. There was no victor. There was only a truce.

I headed back to my dorm to see that Derek wasn't there. I doubted that he went along with Tori and Liz to go clothing shopping, so it was more likely that he was with Simon. Which meant that I had the entire afternoon to myself. I glanced at the written assignment that was nearly done, but I wasn't in the mood to finish it now, especially after Melinda's determination to let Nate go.

_Speaking of Nate..._ I thought. _How is he dealing with his demotion? Has his dad found out?_ As much as I was hurt by Nate's lies, I couldn't just throw him aside. Yes, I was furious with him, but at the same time, I could sense his loneliness. Was it so wrong to want to be loved and praised by your parents? I had it easy compared to him. Even though they were often away at work, my dad and my aunt loved me. I never doubted that. But for Nate, his own mother abandoned him and in addition, so did his father. The only other person that he could call his "family" was his nanny, Marie, who I had met during our date, just more than a month ago.

Had it only been a few weeks? Somehow, it felt so much longer. It was probably because so much had happened since I first arrived at Lyle Academy. Finding out that I was roomed with the scariest guy on campus, then discovering that he really wasn't as bad as everyone said. Dating the most popular guy in school and as a result, battled against his ex-girlfriend and caused Derek to keep his distance. I eavesdropped on Melinda's painful past and made amends with my roommate, who became one of the most important figures in my life. I even met his dad and learned about Nate's family. Which led up to the truth about Nate and his lies.

I sighed as a raked a hand through my hair, watching as strawberry blond strands slipped through my fingers. It still hurt to think about Nate. After all, it hasn't even been two full days since my heart was shattered to pieces. However, like Melinda, I had to hold my head up high and continue with my life. Nate was an obstacle that left me injured and hurting, but I couldn't let him hold me back for any longer.

I had to talk to him.

I slipped out of my room and descended onto the second level, where Nate's room was located. Like earlier with Melinda, I stood outside the door for a few moments, hesitating to knock. I could still back away. There was still time. But if I did, I would never be able to meet him face to face. Ignoring the aching pain at the back of my throat, I raised my hand and knocked.

From behind the door, I heard some shuffling as footsteps came to answer the door. As I was about to tell Nate that we needed to talk, I suddenly halted as I realized that it wasn't Nate who answered the door, but rather his roommate and friend, Corey Carling.

He blinked as he saw me before giving me a forced smile. Obviously as Nate's roommate, Corey got the gist of our breakup. "Uh.. hey. You looking for Nate?"

I nodded as I tried to look around him to see if Nate was inside, but with his 6'1'' figure, it was a little difficult. "Is he in?" I asked quietly.

"No, he went out."

"By any chance, do you know where he is? It's kind of important."

Corey hesitated for a moment, as though debating whether or not to volunteer that information, but in the end, he gave in. "He mentioned something about chilling near the sports field, but I'm not sure if he's still there," Corey replied finally.

"Okay, thanks."

I reached the foyer in no time. Since it was the weekend, most people had gone elsewhere and it was emptier than usual. Greeting a few familiar faces along the way, I hurried over to the sports complex, hoping that Nate was still there. Scanning the area, I noticed a few athletes practising, but Nate wasn't on any of the courts. _Did he go into the weight room?_ I wondered as I walked along the field.

As I approached the track area, I noticed a lone figure sitting on the grassy hill, the place where I had sat to watch Derek nearly two months ago. Walking closer, I saw that Nate's eyes seemed distant as he looked out onto the track, but they saw nothing. His mind was preoccupied that even he didn't hear me approach until I called his name. "Nate."

He blinked several times before turning in the direction of my voice. A purplish-black area surrounded his right eye from Derek's punch. Nate's mouth opened slightly, but no words formed. "We..." I faltered slightly, now having caught his attention. I took a deep breath and before I could change my mind, I said quickly, "We need to talk."

A small sad smile crossed his face. "Yeah... I guess we should."

Gathering my resolve to see this to the end, I sat down a few inches away from him, close enough to not seem rude, but far enough to keep my distance. I didn't want to get too close to him now. The two of us sat there in awkward silence, neither of us knowing what to say or how to start. Finally, I cleared my throat. "How... are you?"

Nate shrugged, the motion half halfheartedly. "Been better. _A lot_ better. Simply put, I screwed up in the biggest way possible," he rumbled.

I said nothing as I looked out towards the track, where a long distance runner was making her rounds. It hurt to talk to him. Every time I looked at him, I could feel the stab of pain over and over again. They said that "time heals all wounds", but evidently, not enough time has passed since the revelation. I wanted to be anywhere but here, to allow myself to heal, but I had to do this. "How could you?" My voice all but broke.

Nate swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. His eyes mirrored his misery as he turned to look at me. Every part of him seemed to be hurting. "It didn't go according to plan," he whispered, his voice so low that I was barely able to catch it.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I wasn't supposed to get attached to you."

I blinked as his words sunk in. Somewhere along the way of his scheme, apparently Nate had developed feelings for me. "You..." I stopped. Did he think that made me happy? To know that he liked me? Maybe that wasn't the point that he was trying to make, but it didn't make anything better. In fact, it made it worse. "And yet, you still hurt me," I said finally.

Nate lowered his head, as though ashamed of himself. "I'm _so_ sorry. I know you can't forgive me, but I am. I never wanted you to find out, because after I realized how I felt, I was ready to drop my anger against Derek. But instead, it was revealed in the worst way possible," he explained, his eyes begging me to understand.

I said nothing as I held back the tide of rolling emotions that swept through me. Nate originally approached me with the thought of hurting me so that he could get back at Derek for having a father who placed him above everything else. It was the one thing that Nate didn't have, but wanted so desperately that he was willing to use other people. "You're right," I said softly, as Nate watched me intently. "I _can't_ forgive you. How is it right to hurt other people to get what you want?"

He flinched but didn't deny my words. "I know it was wrong but I couldn't think of anything else to do."

"That's just an excuse, Nate. Now that you have accomplished in hurting both Derek and I, are you happy? Did you finally get your father's appraisal?" I demanded, anger rising in my voice.

Nate shook his head, his face contorted with pain and desolation. "No, I'm not happy," he said through gritted teeth. "My father heard about it yesterday and he's even more furious than ever. He'll never accept me now."

"Nate, listen to me carefully," I said slowly, forcing him to look at me directly. "You're never going to be happy if you're always working to gain your father's respect. You need to work for your own happiness, not for anyone else."

He said nothing as he let my words sink in. "I've seen you play basketball; you love it. But the way you're playing it now is for all the wrong reasons. You shouldn't have to play to win your father over, but rather because it's something that you love. Maybe your father will never accept you as his son, but you can't continue to let that bring you down. You're not your father and you should be thankful for that. He's a pretentious excuse for an adult and he doesn't deserve to have you as his son. You're better than he is, so be proud of yourself," I added.

Once again, Nate remained silent as his eyebrows furrowed, deep in thought. He needed some time to adjust to what I said, after all, he had been spending his entire existence believing in the wrong cause. I honestly had no idea if Nate would believe me, but even so, he needed to know that. And so, to leave him alone to his thoughts, I rose and returned to my dormitory.

Upon entering the room that I shared with Derek, my mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of Nate that I didn't realize that my roommate had already returned. Derek swivelled in his chair to greet me, his hair damp from presumably a shower. "Hey."

"Oh hey, when did you come back?" I asked as I crossed the room and dropped into my computer chair, facing Derek.

"About ten minutes ago. Went for a workout with Simon since he's prepping for the match this coming Saturday," Derek rumbled as he towel-dried his hair, droplets of water raining on the wooden floor.

I frowned as I gauged Derek's mood. He was suspended from all team activities for the next two weeks meaning that he would have to miss out on this one. Knowing him, he was probably still a little upset about it, but refusing to show it. It was just like Derek to keep things bottled up, but I didn't know how to make it better for him. I decided that I would talk to his coach tomorrow about Derek's suspension, but truthfully, I wasn't sure if I would succeed. Coach Turner didn't seem very lenient when it came to the seriousness of the game. Nevertheless, I would give it my best shot. After all, Derek deserved nothing less.

"-you do?"

Apparently I had missed what Derek had asked. "Huh?"

"I said, 'What did you do?'" Derek repeated.

I shrugged. "I worked a little with Melinda on our project, but in the end, I decided to just finish the rest on my own," I replied.

Derek turned and furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Well, not 'wrong' exactly, but..." And I told him about Melinda's decision. "So, I figured that it'd be better to leave her alone for now."

Derek looked thoughtful as he considered my words before nodding slowly. "Melinda made the right choice. It's better if she stopped pursuing Nate since it doesn't seem like he's going to return her feelings anytime soon. It won't be easy, but it'll be the best for her," he said as he turned to place his towel on the drying rack.

I swallowed as I thought back to my conversation with Nate only a few dozen of minutes ago. "I... talked to Nate just before I came here," I said softly.

Derek's head turned fast enough to cause whip-lash. "_What_?" he barked as his expression darkened. "After what that asshole did to you?"

"I-"

"And now you're going back for more? Are you stupid?" he all but shouted, his figure looming over me.

I glowered up at him. "What I was _trying_ to say before you interrupted me was that I wanted to hear Nate's explanation. I felt that I couldn't move on until I did," I replied sharply. "_But_ that doesn't mean that I'm forgiving him that easily."

"Oh." Derek's face visibly cooled before muttering something that sounded like an apology.

"The truth is that Nate..." I faltered slightly as a pang of pain dug itself against the wall of my bruised heart. Then I took a breath and expelled the words out. "Nate liked me. Which made it worse since he still hurt me in the end."

Derek's face crumpled as the pain and hurt that he felt on my behalf was reflected through his emerald irises. From his expression, it seemed that he had suspected of Nate liking me, but it wasn't until I voiced it did it become a reality. And it hurt. A lot. But it was the protectiveness in Derek's eyes that kept me from burying my head in the sand and wait for it all to pass. He gave a damn about what happened to me. And like a true friend, he felt every emotion that I felt.

I shook my head to clear away thoughts of any trace of the relationship that I could have had with Nate and gave Derek a small smile. "I'm alright now. _Really_," I emphasized when Derek frowned, unconvinced. "Like Melinda, I'm ready to move on. I won't let Nate hold me back any more, because he's in the past and I'm not planning on having him interrupt my future too."

And at that, a small smile made its way onto Derek's mouth, as though he was proud of me. "Good," he said finally, and that one word summed up what I felt at that moment.

Not because I was torn about being lied to and used by my ex-boyfriend, but the fact that I had people who cared about me and were willing to stand by my every step. In fact, it felt bloody amazing.

. . . . . . . . . .

True to my word, I went to hunt down Coach Turner the very next day, knowing that this week, daily practices were held after school. Spotting him in the parking lot, I hurried out to meet him. "Coach Turner!"

He turned at the mention of his name and a small frown crossed his face as he looked down at me, as though I had looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where. "Yes?" he said.

"M-my name is Chloe Saunders and I'm Derek's roommate," I said as I saw a light of recognition flicker in the coach's eyes. "I was there on Saturday during the game... and after too."

An eyebrow raise. "Let me guess," said Coach Turner as he heaved his gym bag over his shoulder. "You want me to take away Souza's punishment."

I swallowed. "Um... yes," I said, momentarily thrown off of my rehearsed plan to persuade the coach into letting Derek back on the team.

"My decision is final. I will not relieve Souza from his suspension nor his demotion."

Coach Turner brushed past me as he headed towards the gym. With his longer legs, I had to jog to catch up to him. "Please coach! Derek's been working so hard. He gets up at the crack of dawn to practice. Don't tell me that every one of your members have that dedication," I pleaded.

He cast me a glance that said that he wasn't going to budge. "That may be so, but the fact doesn't change that Souza acted irresponsibly during the game when he knew better. So the answer is still no."

And with that, my shoulders slumped as the coach disappeared into the building. I knew that it would be difficult to convince him that Derek needed to be on the team, but I just didn't know how to persuade him.

_Maybe we should just wait for the two weeks to be over..._ I thought, before banishing that idea a few seconds later. Was that really the extent of my friendship with Derek? Just one measly attempt that was shot down? After all that he did for me? Derek was my pillar of support. No matter how bad things got, he was always there for me. Even if one day, the world spun so quickly that I couldn't tell what was what, I could count on Derek being there by my side. So he deserved the best that I could give. And in this case, my best included doing everything that I could in my power to change the coach's mind.

And so, for the rest of the week, I hunted the coach down every day after school, hoping to persuade him to allow Derek back onto the team in time for the game. And with every attempt, I was shot down.

However, Friday was different. As the bell rang overhead, I rushed out of my creative writing class and hurried to the parking lot, where I knew that the coach was preparing for the team's practice session today. As I approached him, the coach turned by instinct and scowled at me. "I already know what you're going to say and it's not going to work," he said grimly. "So I would appreciate it if you stopped pestering me because I am _not_ going to change my mind."

I held my ground, refusing to be moved. "Derek's the best player that you have and the game tomorrow means so much to him. Even though he's not on the team right now, he still practices as though he were. So please end his suspension and let him play tomorrow," I pleaded as Coach Turner slammed his car's trunk shut and started to walk across the lot.

"I think it is admirable of you to be concerned for your friend and go this far for him, but I stand by my decision. Nothing you do will change that fact," the coach replied curtly as he stopped walking.

As I struggled to think of a comeback, I noticed a moving car out of my peripheral vision. It was heading in our direction, with no attempts on slowing down. Just before it struck us, I quickly grabbed onto the coach's arm and yanked him out of the way as the car came to a sudden stop.

We landed harshly on the ground as the driver, a senior, quickly hung up on his cell phone and asked if we were okay. After assuring him that we were, I got back on my feet, trying to ignore my jolted body. Glancing over Coach Turner, I could see that he was doing the same. "That was close," he murmured, his eyes still wide with shock.

I nodded slowly as a stroke of genius suddenly hit me with the force of a charging rhino. "_Very_ close. I mean, you could have gotten seriously injured," I said, ignoring the fact that the car was going slow enough that we would have only been a little bruised.

As he opened his mouth to argue, I quickly added, "But I saved you from all that."

Coach Turner scowled at me. "Are you trying to imply that I now owe you a favour? From pulling me out of harm's way?"

I gave him my best wide-blue-eyes look and said, "A favour? I didn't think of that... but if you insist, there _is_ something that you could help me with," I said slowly.

His scowl deepened if possible. "And that is ending Souza's suspension," he answered, his tone was not amused.

I said nothing as I looked at him, using all the skills that I have learned from drama class to keep the rising panic from showing on my face. He gave me a scrutinizing look and after a long painful minute, Coach Turner sighed, every line on his face showing his exasperation. "Fine," he growled. "Tell Souza that his suspension is over. And that he can join us for practice. _But_ he's still on the second string until he can prove himself that he's worthy of his prior position, understood?"

I tried not to nod too emphatically and did my best to keep a wide grin from spreading across my face. "I understand, sir. Thank you very much!"

With excitement and exhilaration pumping through my veins, I jogged over to the science department where Derek was working as a lab assistant. Upon entering the area, I spotted all six something of him. "Derek!" I called out.

He turned and gave me a quizzical look. "What's up, Chloe?" Derek asked as he wiped his hands dry on a paper towel.

Breathing heavily, I wasn't able to contain my grin any longer. "You're back on the team!" I exclaimed happily.

Derek frowned as though he heard me wrong. "What?"

"It took me a week to do it, but I was finally able to convince the coach to end your suspension early so that you could play in tomorrow's game. And your coach told me to tell you to attend today's practice."

He blinked a few times, evidently unable to convince himself of what I was saying. "Are... you serious?" Derek asked slowly, as though trying not to raise his hopes only to have them diminished.

I nodded. "Yes!"

A glance at the lab room. "What about-" Derek started to say but I cut him off. "Oh good grief, Derek. I'll let them know. I'm sure they'll be fine with it."

Another look back at me as though he was looking at me for the first time. Derek smiled, a little hesitant at first, but then a huge crooked grin broke through that made me do a double take. An extremely rare look for him. My stomach did a weird flip as I gaped at him.

_Ba-thump._

He didn't notice my reaction, presumably he was too occupied with the idea that he was now back on the team. "Thanks Chloe. You're the best," Derek said quickly. "I'll see you later, 'kay?"

I didn't even get a chance to answer because Derek was already racing down the hall, until he slipped out of view.

_Ba-thump._

Even though he was no longer there, I couldn't move my eyes away from the spot where Derek stood just a few moments ago. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as Derek's blazing grin crossed my thoughts again, blinding me from everything else.

_Ba-thump_.

_Ba-thump._

Then realization hit.

I liked Derek.

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><p><strong>AN: I can guess what you're all thinking. It's among the lines of "FINALLY!" right? Hahaha. I also think that it's about time. With all the build up, Chloe and Derek's relationship finally got far enough for Chloe to realize how she felt. Some of you may think that it's a little odd that Chloe realizes this now, when she just suffered a heart break (a week has passed by the end of this chapter), but Derek's been by her side all this time and she never realized it until now because Nate was in the picture.**

**Now, I'd love to have your guys' opinion on this thing that my beta-reader suggested to me. Since I have irregular updates and a fair number of you often ask me when my next chapter will be posted, he suggested that I make a twitter account (for my fanfiction writing) and post updates on how far along the chapter I am. And if you are interested, you could just visit my to-be twitter page and see everything that is related to my fanfiction writing, such as my thoughts, some teasers, and progress in general. Originally, I shot that idea down (mainly because I didn't think anyone would be interested), but if you are, then yes, I'm definitely willing to do it.  
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**EDIT: It seems that there's enough people who seem interested, so I made an account solely for fanfiction stuff. You can follow me as: mintzwrites  
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**Once again, thank you for sticking with me up to now. I'm just over 2/3 of the story, so I'll probably be ending it around chapter 30, but that's not set in stone. While I have no idea what's going to happen for the next chapter just yet, I hope you'll look forward to it.  
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	22. Holding Back the Truth

**A/N: Hey guys! Wow, the response for the last chapter was pretty overwhelming. While I knew it would create a voice, I didn't think that there would be that much. But I'm glad to hear from you guys! Some of the questions amused me to no end. Particularly the "What's Chloe going to do with this realization?". Well, you'll find out here.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers. Thanks to my beta-reader, KG, for reading this over and pointing out my mistakes. :)  
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><p><strong>Chapter 22: Holding Back the Truth<strong>

As promised, I told the science teachers that Derek had basketball practice. And since Derek was quite well-liked by his teachers, they were fine with it. Some of them were even happy for him. However, as soon as I stepped out of the science wing, the full impact of my realization hit me. I was crushing on my roommate.

_Oh my god!_

My cheeks flushed warmly as I recalled the time that I had spent with Derek and some of the feelings involved. I had always thought of him as someone important to me, but I had never thought that I would like him in _that_ way. Every now and then I did catch myself when I was paying more attention to him than I should have, but I brushed those thoughts away, dismissing them as just looking out for my roommate. What I didn't know was that some where down the road, I had liked him all along. I just didn't see it until now, because I had been preoccupied with Nate.

I swallowed thickly. What was I going to do with this realization? For all I knew, Derek thought of me as simply his roommate and friend. We had a good relationship between us as merely friends. He was always by my side, supporting me. And I wouldn't hesitate to do that for him too. Would it be selfish of me to want to be something more than just friends? What if I ruined everything? And... what if he didn't feel the same?

The thought of things being awkward between us made my heart unbearably heavy. I couldn't lose him. Derek meant so much to me that I couldn't stand it if things went badly because of my selfishness.

I sighed. It wasn't like this with Nate, since he was the one who approached me first. _And you know the reasons behind that._ My inner voice reminded me. Besides, Nate and Derek are two completely different people. What I needed was advice. Pulling out my phone, I quickly sent a text to both Liz and Tori, telling them that it there was an emergency meeting at my room.

Sure enough, moments after I returned to my dorm room still in partial shock, Liz and Tori arrived. "So, what's the so-called 'emergency'?" Tori asked as they entered the room and made themselves comfortable on the floor.

"Um..." I didn't know how to start, so I fidgeted nervously while Liz studied me.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, not in the way you're probably thinking of," I murmured. "I just don't know where to begin."

Tori frowned. "Whatever it is, just spit it out already."

Liz rolled her eyes at her friend before turning to me. "How about you start with how you ended up in your situation," she said gently.

I shot her a grateful smile. "Well, you know how I've been trying to persuade Coach Turner to let Derek back on the team?" I prompted.

They both nodded. "Well, I succeeded today and even though he's not on the first string, Derek's suspension has ended. And uh..." I swallowed thickly. "I think I like D-Derek," I admitted quietly as my cheeks flamed.

Tori's eyebrows raised slightly at my admission, but she didn't look bewildered in the least. And neither did Liz. Instead, they exchanged a look and shared a sly smile before turning to face me. I frowned at their silent message. I had expected a reaction that was entirely different from what they had. "What?" I demanded. "You guys don't look very surprised."

Liz grinned. "To tell you the truth, Tori and I had been wondering when you would realize that you liked Derek," she said as I stared at her, flabbergasted.

"About time too," Tori chimed in. "It's kinda obvious that you thought of him as more than a friend, considering the lengths that both of you go for each other."

I blushed as I thought about Derek punching Nate for me. But then a thought occurred. "If you thought that we'd end up together, why did you encourage me to date Nate then?" I asked.

Liz shifted and tucked her knees to her chest. "Well, even though I didn't think that you and Nate suited each other, it was obvious that you liked him. So we did our best to support you in whatever you decided," she said as Tori nodded.

"Oh." That made sense and looking back, I felt grateful towards them for respecting my decisions. Even though I had made stupid mistakes and ended up emotionally hurt, I felt that I grew a little in terms of my character. And it was worth it that I realized that I liked Derek in the end. Maybe even after all this time.

I could remember that when we had first met, we had avoided each other as much as possible and I agonized at having such an anti-social roommate, but after the misunderstanding was cleared up, we became friends. Slowly, I sought out his company more and more, relieved that I had someone like him with me. Although he could be blunt in his words, he had a small aspect of gentleness to him too. Like the way that he looked out for those he cared about. And how he was passionate in doing what he enjoyed, no matter how simple some of those tasks were.

It would have been easier if we were just friends. We could have just maintained our simple relationship. But the problem was that I didn't want to. I bit my lip as worry seeped in. "What do you think I should do?" I asked.

Tori frowned. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "As much as I l-like Derek, I don't want to ruin the relationship between us. What if he doesn't feel the same?"

Liz and Tori exchanged another silent look, both looking hesitant. Pulling her blond hair back into a ponytail, Liz spoke. "It _is_ rather difficult to tell with Derek, since he doesn't openly show his feelings... but I can guarantee you that you're important to him. Or else he wouldn't have done so much for you."

As much as I hated the fact that Nate had used me, he had thought the same as well. Or else he wouldn't have targeted me int he way that he did. A small flame of hope flickered inside of me. I couldn't tell if Derek liked me in _that_ way, but at the very least, I wasn't just a regular friend. Then another thought hit me. "Oh god, this is going to be awkward," I mumbled. "With us being roommates and all."

Liz smiled sympathetically. "I guess so, but it can also be good for you, since you get to be around him more than not. And by observing him, you can find out if he does have some feelings for you," she advised.

"Not to mention that he's probably seen you at your worst. So you don't really have much to fear," Tori added thoughtfully as she crossed her legs.

I sighed as I thought about all the times I woke up with my hair resembling that of a bird's nest. And the times that I fell ungracefully out of bed. I glanced around the room to see worn clothing discarded on various sets of furniture on my side. _Not to mention the untidiness_. But Tori and Liz were right. As awkward as it might get, being his roommate was also an advantage. Feeling better, I felt some of the tension within me melt away.

Seeing the change in my expression, my two best friends switched to a more comfortable topic, such as the long weekend next week. "Is your dad or your aunt coming back for Thanksgiving?" Tori asked.

I thought back to the email that I got the other day and shook my head slowly, disappointment setting in. "No, unfortunately not. Oddly enough, it's a pretty hectic at the moment overseas. But they said that they'll be back for winter break," I replied.

Liz looked rather crestfallen for a moment before an idea popped into her head. "Would you like me to ask my mom and Nanna if you could spend it with us? I'm sure they wouldn't mind," she offered. "After all, you're practically my sister."

I smiled, thankful that she thought of me. "Thanks Liz, I mean it. But no, I think it'd be better if you spent that time with your family instead, since you don't get to see them that often," I said, declining her invitation.

Liz cocked her head to the side as she studied me. "Are you sure?" she asked, concern lingering in her voice.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure there are others staying on campus too. So I won't be alone-" I said as the sound of the door opening cut me off.

All three pairs of eyes followed the sound to see Derek slipping back inside, a towel hanging around his neck. I swallowed, the back of my throat was suddenly painfully dry. My roommate closed the door behind him and blinked at the sight of my friends scattered around the room. "Hey," he said.

I opened my mouth to say something back, but no words came out. A bubble of panic rose inside. What did I normally say to him whenever he returned? Was it a "welcome back" or was it like a "how did it go?". I had to say something, but my brain just shut down. Sensing my trepidation, Tori quickly elbowed me in the side, the pain jolting me back to my senses. Holding my aching side, I blurted out, "W-welcome back. How did practice go?"

Derek raised an eyebrow at my outburst but said nothing about it. Then his face relaxed into a small crooked smile that made my stomach flip the second time today. "Pretty good. We cut it short today since the coach doesn't want to work us too hard for the game tomorrow," he said. "Thanks again for getting me back on the team. It must have been a lot of work to persuade our coach to change his mind."

"Uh... n-no problem. I was happy to help you," I stuttered, as I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw another silent exchange between Liz and Tori. Then to my horror, they stood up. "Well, we should probably go and clean up before dinner. So we'll see you guys later," Liz said quickly as Tori nodded.

I shot them a pleading look that begged for them to stay with me, but they ignored it. Just before they went out, Tori turned back to face me. By the sly grin on her face, I knew that whatever she was going to say next was going to mortify me. "_Enjoy_ yourself, Chloe."

And with that, my so-called "friends" left me alone with my roommate. Derek turned to face me as confusion flitted across his features. "What was _that_ about?" he rumbled.

I averted my gaze, hoping that he couldn't read the truth in my eyes. I silently cursed Tori for the situation. "No idea," I replied, trying to keep my voice from stuttering.

"Huh. Well, whatever. I'm gonna wash up and then we'll go down for dinner, okay?"

"Yeah. Sure. Great."

If Derek noticed my sudden awkward enthusiasm, he didn't say anything and merely grabbed some clothing before disappearing into the bathroom. As soon as the door closed, I felt my shoulders slump in relief as I exhaled, the tension flowing out of my body. Being roommates with your crush was suddenly a lot harder than it seemed. My cheeks were still warm from when Derek first entered the room and I definitely needed to figure out a way to keep my cool.

And what better way to keep your mind distracted than doing homework? I pulled out my physics textbook and looked at my assigned questions. It went well until the sound of the door opening shattered my concentration. As much as I tried to focus on the question about a crate on an incline, some part of me was aware of Derek's every movement. With sheer will power, I forced myself to stare straight ahead at my textbook rather than turning to look at my roommate.

The scent of forests and pine made its way into the room as Derek walked out of the bathroom. "You're doing homework? On a Friday?" Derek questioned.

I swallowed. _Keep calm, Chloe._ "Nothing wrong with getting a head start," I mumbled.

Even though the back of my head was facing him, I could definitely picture Derek's eyebrows lifting in disbelief. "Yeah, but you never do homework on a Friday when you have the rest of the weekend to finish it," Derek added as his padded footsteps came closer to my side of the room. "What are you working on anyway?"

Without warning, Derek suddenly leaned over my shoulder to look down at my physics assignment. I stiffened. He was close enough that I could smell guy shampoo wafting from his slightly damp hair. "You did your free body diagram wrong."

"Huh?"

Derek pointed at the picture. "The crate is on a slope, so while the force of weight is straight downwards, the normal force is perpendicular to the incline. Like this." He took the pencil from my hand and drew in an arrow on my diagram, correcting my mistake.

I was too busy trying to keep my gaze on the paper beneath me that I didn't realize that Derek still had my pencil in his hand. "You seem kind of distracted," he said drily.

I blinked a few times before my eyes slowly drifted over to him. Upon looking into his deep green eyes, I quickly glanced to the side again. "Uh haha. I g-guess doing homework on a Friday doesn't work with me after all," I said quickly as I rose. "Let's go get something to eat."

Derek frowned slightly, as though confused, but he didn't disagree with the idea of getting food into our system. Thank god that Derek loved food enough that the mention of dinner provided a temporary obstacle.

After picking out what we wanted, I carried my tray over to our usual table in the corner, where everyone was already there. Aware of Derek following me from behind while his pile of food was balancing precariously on his plate, I quickly slid in next to Liz, taking the edge seat. That forced Derek to sit on her other side. Normally, I would have sat next to Derek, but at the moment, I didn't want to get too cozy with him. Not with these feelings attached.

Tori watched me with an amused knowing look as I shot her an annoyed one. At the moment, I really didn't feel like being teased about my current state. We ate as Simon talked excitedly about tomorrow's match against Pinecrest Hall. "Two tough teams in a row. We barely defeated them last year and I get the feeling that it's going to be just as hard or even harder this time around. I also heard that a track star recently transferred to their school and was immediately sought out by the basketball coach," Simon said animatedly, his dinner forgotten.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Just because this so-called 'track star' is fast, it doesn't mean that he'll have good ball control. There's going to be at least once where he'll slip up and that will be a good opportunity for us to get the upper hand," he replied.

And with that, dinner ended. As the others made plans to have a ping pong tournament in the dorm foyer, I opted out. "I've been putting off my laundry for a while, so I should go do that before I'm left with only pyjamas to wear," I said quickly. "Besides, that way, there's an even number of you guys."

It wasn't entirely a lie. I _did_ have quite a pile of clothing waiting to be washed. But the main reason was again that I didn't want to stay too close to Derek because I was afraid that I would let something slip. As the others accepted my exclusion, Derek remained silent as he studied me, his face giving nothing away. Through those soulful eyes of his, I felt as though he was suspicious of me and quickly turned my back to him, shielding Derek out.

Grabbing my clothes from our room, I went to laundry room that was a floor below the foyer. Since it was a Friday night, most of the students had left campus to go elsewhere before coming back in time for curfew. So that meant that I was alone with my thoughts. Dumping my load in the machine, the sounds of water swirling around filled the otherwise silent room. It would take at least 30 minutes, which meant that I could actually go somewhere else and then come back for my clothes. There were other empty machines so it was unlikely that anyone would be in need of this particular appliance. But where would I go?

I sighed as I made myself comfortable in one of the waiting chairs and flipped through an entertainment magazine from the rack. Oh well, might as well get caught up in the latest celebrity gossip and scandals. I don't know how much time had passed while I had been there thumbing through the magazine, occasionally reading the articles when the laundry machine finally came to a stop. I got up and tossed my clothing into the dryer. Just as I closed the lid, the laundry door creaked open behind me.

Glancing behind, I suddenly froze as Derek stepped inside. Of all the people that I would have expected to see, Derek was the last. Not that he didn't do his laundry, but rather in the Derek-Souza-fashion, he scheduled himself to get them done during the middle of the week exactly at 8:30, after his daily 8pm showers. So yeah, I was caught off guard at seeing him here. His hands were bare too, no pile of clothing in sight. Which meant that he was here to find me.

Swallowing thickly, I summoned up my voice. "Hey," I said, trying not to stutter.

"Hey."

Derek leaned against one of the laundry appliances as I straightened. He stuck his hands in his pockets as he studied me in that way that made me feel as though he was staring through me. "I-is the tournament over?" I asked quickly as my gaze dipped away from his and busied myself by returning the magazine to the rack.

"Nah, Tori and Simon decided to challenge each other to the limits by standing like a foot away from the table and trying to take the other on while Liz refereed," Derek replied as I smiled at the thought. "So, what's wrong?"

I blinked at Derek's tone. All the lightness of it had disappeared. "What do you mean?" I asked slowly as I turned to face him. "N-nothing's wrong."

Derek's scowled as he approached me, so that he stood less than a meter away, looming over me. His face and posture screamed that he was in his I'm-serious-mode. "You're lying," he rumbled, all humour was gone from his eyes.

"No, I'm not. Everything is f-fine."

"Something's up and the way that you haven't once looked me in the eye since I returned after practice today proves it. Doesn't help that you're stuttering too."

"No, you're wrong. I haven't-" I started to say as my eyes drifted away from his face and froze. _Crap._

From the corner of my peripheral vision, I saw a small triumphant smirk play upon Derek's lips. Then it disappeared as quickly as it came. "You're busted. Now spill," he demanded. "And don't try to lie either."

My heart thudded at the idea of telling him the truth. What if I scared him away? After my last heartbreak, I didn't know how I would be able to handle another one so soon. And especially for someone that I deeply cared for. Derek knew me well enough to be able to tell that something was up, even though he didn't know what. And the thought of me liking him wouldn't be anywhere on his radar. He was just that type of guy. I swallowed painfully. There was no way I could tell him right now.

Sneaking a look at Derek, I also knew from his face that I wasn't getting off so easily either. I had to give him some sort of excuse. A lie. And I had to make it so that he believed it. Taking a shuddering breath, I looked at him straight in the eye, forcing my determination and courage to pull me through. "It's about the game tomorrow," I lied, keeping my voice from wavering.

Derek blinked as though taken off guard. His eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Why would you be worried?" he wondered.

"I'm a little scared because now that you just barely made it back on the team, I don't want to see you taken off it again," I added. "I know what basketball means to you."

Derek's gaze softened as the tension left his body. The fierceness in his expression from a few seconds ago transformed into a form of tenderness that made my heart race. "Oh Chloe," he breathed. "_That_ was what was bothering you?"

I didn't answer. "You don't need to worry about that. Getting my spot taken away has been a wake up call. I had acted rashly and I let my emotions rule over logic. I wasn't thinking," Derek said quietly as determination burned bright like emerald fire in his eyes. "But I promise you, _that_ won't happen again. I'll remain in control and through my own power, I'll get my position back."

I struggled to think about past conversations regarding the rankings of high school basketball for the region. "Last week's game was just a warm up game, right?" I asked when Derek confirmed it with a nod. "Then that means that tomorrow's game will be important regarding whether or not Lyle Academy will get into the divisions."

Another nod. "Yeah, we can't afford to lose another game. Not that we're guaranteed to win tomorrow, because being overconfident is stupid, but we'll give it our best shot," Derek rumbled.

I frowned at the thought of the guys losing another one. Although it certainly wasn't the end of the world, it meant a lot to Derek and the others. Seeing my worried expression, a small smile crossed Derek's face. "Like I said, don't worry about it. We're actually a fairly decent team."

"Okay."

A comfortable silence came between us as the dryer worked behind us, whirling my clothes around. I thought that Derek was going to leave now that he had kind of gotten what he wanted, but instead, he shifted as though he wanted to say something. No longer worried that Derek was going to guess what I had been actually hiding, I turned to face him. "You look like you want to say something," I said in a joking manner, but the last traces of humour faded from my voice when Derek looked up, his eyes deadly serious.

"You know, Chloe," he started. "If there's ever anything that's bothering you, you can tell me."

I blinked as I thought I imagined a flicker of hurt in his voice. Was Derek bothered with the fact that I was hiding something from him? Studying him closely, I saw that his emotionless poker face returned.

"You don't need to confide in me or anything, but I just wanted you to know that you can. Especially if it's about me."

And there was my chance to say it. That I liked him. He gave me an opportunity, but I decided to let it go. I wanted it to be by my own time and place. If I had to rely on Derek to give me an opening, then I really wasn't good enough for him. So I didn't tell him the truth. At least, not yet.

Derek watched me patiently, as he waited for my response. A stab of guilt buried itself in the wall of my heart. Here he was, being really sweet and everything and yet I was still lying to him. Ignoring the knot in my stomach, I plastered on what I had hoped to be a convincing smile.

"Thanks, Derek. I know."

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><p><strong>AN: Well, I assume that you're all very angry at me. I could have had Chloe confess her feelings, but somehow they just didn't match the pace of this story. I apologize if you guys think it's TOO slow, but for me, it seemed like the right thing to do. To make up for the annoyingly-ness of this chapter, I'll definitely make it up with the next one, where I promise that things will be very fun. Oh say, like maybe a bit of Derek's past? And maybe a half delirious Derek? Who knows. If you would like to know of my progress on my updates, you can follow me on twitter as mintzwrites where I also post teasers and updates. So that way, you don't have to wonder if I suddenly fell off the face of the planet after not having written so long. Anyway, please look forward to the next one! (I promise it'll be funner!)  
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**PS. I also drew a picture of Derek the basketball player which I'll tweet.  
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**EDIT: For those of you who don't have twitter but would still like to visit my twitter page, I posted an url on my profile page under "Twitter".  
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	23. Redemption

**A/N: Hello! It's almost the end of summer classes for me (thank god!). Maybe I can finally enjoy my summer. Well, this chapter took a little longer than expected to write, mainly due to the basketball game that takes place here. It ended up being about 4 pages and so, it increased the original page count that I had anticipated. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Darkest Powers. Thank you to my beta-reader, KG, for letting me bounce my ideas off you.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 23: Redemption<strong>

"Looks like you need a new one," I said as I sat on my bed, watching Derek pack for the upcoming game.

"Huh?"

I pointed to his fraying wristband. He had it ever since I first met him and probably even before that. Derek always wore it whenever he worked out or had practice. When I had asked him about it, he had said that he used it to wipe the sweat from his face in a game where a towel wasn't so handy. And so, after many months of use, the wristband definitely looked like it had seen better days.

Derek peered down at the material encircling his wrist and frowned. "Yeah. It's been pretty durable and I like this brand. But there's no time to get a new one before winter break, so I'll just wait until then," he replied as he continued to throw items into his sports bag.

Leaning back on my hands, I swung my legs off the edge of my mattress. "Is your dad coming today?"

A head shake. "Nah, he's working on a case for the next two weeks, so Simon and I are stuck here during the long weekend."

"Oh." A small thrill zinged through me at the thought of Derek staying for the break. Despite yesterday's awkwardness surrounding my recent discovery, I found it a little easier to act normal around Derek. Sure, I couldn't help but be hyper aware of Derek's presence, but at the very least, I wasn't acting like an idiot. That had to count for something, right?

"Well, that kinda sucks," I added, seeing his disappointment with not being able to spend the holiday with his dad.

Derek shrugged as he slung his bag over one shoulder. "Just a bit. But it's not too bad. You're staying here too, right?" he asked as I nodded. "So then, it'll just be you, me and Simon. I'm good with that."

I bit the inside of my cheek from grinning. Apparently, he had similar thoughts to mine. And the fact that he seemed genuinely happy that I was staying too was a bonus. My roommate glanced at the bedside alarm clock and turned towards the door. "I'll see you later," he rumbled as he pulled on his shoes.

I glanced at his muscular bare arms and hopped off the bed. "Wait a sec." I called as I grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. "It's getting cold. You don't want to get sick."

Derek rolled his eyes. "I never get sick," he said with a smirk. Though when a frown crossed my face, he sighed. "I threw my team jacket in the bag, so I'll wear that if I get cold."

His windbreaker wasn't as thick as his normal jacket, but since Derek apparently didn't feel the dropping temperature, I gave in. "Okay, fine. Good luck then," I said.

Derek gave me a nod and disappeared behind the closing door.

About half an hour later, I headed towards the gym. Liz and Tori had agreed to meet me there instead of coming to pick me up. I shivered as a gust of wind blew past me, causing me to grip my umbrella tighter in fear that it would fly away. Yup, winter was approaching quickly. Wrapping my jacket tighter around me, I hurried towards the building.

Upon reaching the gym, I noticed that the bleachers were partially full. The side closest to the entrance consisted of the rival school's supporters. Scanning the crowd, I finally picked out my friends who sat on the other end. "Have you seen the other team yet?" I asked in a low voice as a parent from the other school walking past us.

Liz shook her head. "Nope, but we saw their bus parked in the guest parking lot. They're probably preparing in the other gym," she replied.

Sure enough, minutes later, teams from both schools paraded into the gym. Having seen this sight before, I didn't think anything would be much different, however, seeing Simon in front reminded me of his promotion. Yesterday, he had been a little anxious about his first game as the team captain, but looking at him now, walking tall with his shoulders back, it was obvious that he was determined to do well. A few of the girls near us giggled as they whispered about how cute he was. I knew that Simon had always been popular with both guys and girls but hearing them go on about him, I started to wonder why Simon didn't have a girlfriend. He definitely liked the attention that he got, but he was never more than polite with them. _Hmm... I'll ask Derek about that later. _I thought absentmindedly as I looked at the rest of the team following behind their captain.

First stringers walked immediately after Simon, then the second stringers. I felt a small smile tug on my lips at the sight of Derek down below with the others. It still bugged me a little that Derek was no longer with the rest of the first stringers, but I could see the emerald fire in his eyes. The need to redeem himself and prove that he was worthy of his prior position. Grasping my hands tightly, I hoped that the game would go well in their favour.

As the rest of Lyle Academy's basketball team sat down for a pep talk by their coach, I noticed a lone figure trailing after them, though not in uniform. My heart did a small lurch at the sight of Nate. Although he was suspended from today's game, he still had to attend, though he would be sitting on the bench.

It's been a week since the two of us broke up and word has gotten around the school pretty quickly. I didn't know how, considering that it was a matter between him, Derek, Melinda and me. And I doubted that any of them would have said anything. But still, it got leaked. While we weren't outright avoiding each other, we certainly didn't go back to being the way we were before everything had happened. I suppose Nate and I were technically just acquaintances now, seeing that we barely acknowledge each other in our classes together. Which was perfectly fine by me. Though as I watched him sit down with his teammates, being the only one that wasn't in his uniform did make me feel a little sorry for him.

I was so focused with our team that I barely paid any attention until Tori nudged me in the side and nodded towards the opposing team. "The guy that Simon was talking about yesterday is that blond one over there on the far right," she whispered.

I followed her gaze to a tall lean player with blond hair to his collar. Judging from his build, he didn't look too different from the other basketball players, only that his arms weren't as solidly built as some of his teammates. "Oh, you mean the track runner?" I questioned as Tori nodded. "How did you know that that was him?"

Tori merely shrugged. "Some of the guys in my IT class are also on the newspaper committee and since they had to write a report on today's game, they were looking up Pinecrest Hall's team and out of curiosity, I read over some of their stuff," she admitted. "Apparently, his name is Liam Malloy and he's pretty good in terms of running."

Liz cocked her head to side as she studied the said figure. "Looks like a senior to me. Did you find out why he decided to switch from track to basketball?"

Another shrug. "It didn't say. But I'm guessing he wanted a change of pace and that the coach wanted someone who was lighter on his feet than the regular players."

I frowned. "Weird but okay. Hopefully, he won't be too much trouble for our guys."

For the next 20 minutes, both teams had their players warm up. They went through some basic drills before working on their basketball skills. I watched as Simon bounced the pass to Derek, who then caught it and did a layup effortlessly. "Derek looks like he's in good form," Liz murmured softly.

I grinned. "He's always in 'good form'. I think that he's been pretty restless lately due to the suspension, so he can finally let it out on the court."

As another few minutes ticked by, the coaches finally called their teams in for a talk. I decided to take this moment to slip into the bathroom before the game started.

Seeing what the humidity had done to my hair, I briefly ran my hand through it, trying to smooth it out when the door opened behind me and a few sophomore girls walked in. They chattered in their high pitched voices and giggled like idiots that would have made Derek roll his eyes at the sight of them. I didn't pay much attention to them until a name caught my attention.

"-like Simon's totally cute," the brunette said as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror and pulled out a tube of lipstick.

Her honey blond friend laughed. "I know, right? He's good at everything. Heck, I could probably ask him to tutor me in math as an excuse to get to know him better, after all, he's like Asian, right?"

I nearly smiled at that. Math was actually Simon's worst class and if they knew anything about him, Simon was only hanging on because his brother was a genius.

A look of disgust replaced the blond sophomore's dreamy-eyed expression. "Though it's evident that Simon got the good genes in his family. Even if Derek was the last person on Earth, I'd rather die than be with him."

My good mood faded as a spark of anger kindled inside of me. Derek couldn't help the way he looked. Sure, his selective personality probably didn't help, but he really is a good guy. And they couldn't see that at all.

A snort from the taller brunette. "He's so creepy. I wanted to get on Simon's good side by talking to his loser brother, but Derek just ignored me. Honestly, he should be grateful that I'm talking to him. After all, girls with faces like mine don't talk to boys who look like him."

_Don't say anything, Chloe. They don't know what he's like. They're just a bunch of air-headed, shallow twits._ I thought as I stood there, contemplating on whether I should leave before I throttled one of them. The girls took their time primping themselves in the mirror as the conversation continued. "I don't know if it's true, but did you hear that rumour about him?" the brunette asked as her friend shook her head.

I was about to leave when I stopped. What were they saying now?

"No, what rumour?"

"The one about his back and how it's covered with faded scars. As though someone had pulled a knife on him in the past."

I frowned. This couldn't be true. Despite his appearance and the air about him, Derek didn't get into fights. He was smarter than that. He was also level-headed and rational. Derek wouldn't let himself get into that type of situation in the first place.

The petite blond gasped loudly, the sound echoing in the small bathroom. "Omigosh, I could totally see that happening to him with his not-so-secret drug dealing. How did the rumour get started?" she asked.

Her friend shrugged. "Apparently, their phys ed teacher made them keep it to themselves, but this one guy let it slip that they saw it when Derek was changing," she answered as she applied some mascara to her eyelashes.

As I stared at her in disbelief, it seemed that they finally noticed me. "Hey, aren't you Derek's roommate?" the brunette asked as she turned to face me.

"Yeah. What about it?" I challenged them.

"Is it true about his scars? Surely as his roommate, you would have seen them."

I blinked. Actually, I had no idea about the scars until just this moment, but I felt as though I should have. Like she said, we were roommates after all. But now that I thought about it, I had never seen Derek shirtless. Even when he returned from a shower or going to bed, he always had a shirt on. I never thought anything of it until now. But he would have let me known, wouldn't he? I mean, it wasn't something you talked about as though it was an everyday thing like, "Oh hey, I have these scars on my back," but he would have said something... I think.

My lips turned into a frown. No, it couldn't be true. These ditzy girls had their facts wrong or they had misunderstood something. That wasn't hard since they didn't have a high opinion of Derek in the first place. They had to be wrong. Besides, who was I going to side with? Derek or these idiots? "It's none of your business. And if you spend your life wondering about other people's affairs, then let me tell you that you have a pretty sad existence," I snapped as I stormed past them, leaving them to stare at me wide-eyed.

Hearing the door close behind me, I marched back to where my friends sat. Liz, ever so perceptive, noticed the change in my expression. "What's up?"

Realizing that I was scowling, I let some of my anger fade. _No._ I thought. _They're just stupid rumours started by someone who doesn't like Derek. Most likely by a jealous classmate or team member._ I forced a smile. "Nothing. I had to listen in on a stupid conversation by a couple of brainless girls," I said as Tori rolled her eyes.

"Ugh. Been there, done that. People like that make the rest of us look bad," she muttered as I took my place next to her.

Liz shot me a sympathetic smile but said nothing about the matter. "Look, they're about to start," she pointed out as we glanced down at the court.

Both teams stood facing each other in the center as they waited for the tip off. However, Derek was benched as a second string member, so a senior took his place. At the whistle, the referee threw the ball into the air and both players jumped, their arms outstretched. Within a fraction of a second, Pinecrest's center player slapped it onto his side and they took off towards our basket.

They didn't waste any time getting down the court. As soon as they received the ball, another member dodged one of our own players and passed it to the former track star. And off he went. His skills as a high speed runner were evident as he soon broke through Lyle Academy's line of defence much quicker than anyone had anticipated. Mesmerized by his quickness, I watched as he dodged any incoming opponents and finally did a layup, which resulted in the first point of the game.

The other side of the crowd roared as Liam received back slaps from his teammates on a job well done. I swallowed thickly as my eyes darted to the clock. Only fifteen seconds had passed and yet they had scored. It was surprising, but not impossible.

Simon retrieved the ball and when he passed it, the game continued. Peter had the ball and he dribbled it down the court. Once he met a screen and was forced to pass to a teammate, Liam charged and intercepted the pass, causing the crowd to gasp in astonishment. He took off in the opposite direction, with the rest of his team supporting him. Simon skidded to a halt as he changed direction. "Go!" I heard him shout as Lyle's guard player sprinted forward, determined to block Liam from scoring.

However, Liam saw it coming and instead of scoring, he merely passed it, enabling the receiver to dunk it. _Crap._ I thought as I clenched my hands tightly. I wasn't expecting Liam to be that good, considering his speciality was in a different sport and I could tell that Lyle Academy's coach wasn't either.

Eventually, our first goal came from Simon, after his team was successful in getting through the opposing side's man-to-man defence. "Nice!" Tori yelled as Simon sent a triumphant smile to the cheering crowd.

After a few more baskets on both sides, the whistle sounded for the end of the first quarter. The two teams retreated to the benches where they got to rest up for three minutes and discuss strategy. "I hope Lyle will be able to pull up the score," Liz murmured quietly as I eyed the scoreboard.

It was now 23-18 with Pinecrest Hall in the lead. Despite beating them last year, it seemed that it was harder the second time around. Things didn't get much better later on and by the time the first half of the third quarter rolled around, we were behind by eleven points. Exhaustion was evident on both sides as Lyle defended themselves as best as they could against Pinecrest's offensive manoeuvres. My heart thudded nervously as I watched Mark attempt to score a 3 pointer, only to have it bounce off the rim and into the hands of the away team. I tried not to groan, but there wasn't too much time left. It would be difficult to catch up if the difference in the scores wasn't lowered by the end of this quarter. Looking at Lyle Academy's bench, I could see the frustration on Derek's face as he watched the match progress without him. He wanted to go on, but as a player, he had to wait for the coach to give him permission.

A few inches down, Nate had a similar expression, but one filled with regret as well as restlessness. No matter what his faults were, it was undeniable that he was a good player, almost as good as Derek and Simon were. But unlike Derek, Nate wouldn't get the chance to play today and if the team lost, that regret would undoubtedly double.

Finally, when it didn't seem like it would never happen, Coach Turner said something to Derek, who was up and alert within seconds. My heart leaped as Derek stood, obviously ready to get out on the court. As their coach went up to declare a substitution, Derek suddenly turned to the side, his attention caught elsewhere. I blinked. Nate was saying something to him and judging by the set of his jaw, I knew that whatever it was, it was important. To my further surprise, I stared down at the two of them as they did a small fist bump, a camaraderie between them that I didn't think I would ever see. For another second, Derek met Nate's eyes before stepping up with the coach.

"Lyle Academy, substitution for Mark Selesky, number 13," a voice called out as the senior forward scowled, not pleased at being taken out.

However, since it was the coach who requested the change, there was nothing Mark could do but to glower at Derek as he brushed by him, taking his place on the bench. Simon grinned brightly as his brother jogged onto the court and slapped his back. Peter gave his friend a thumbs up before heading back into position. I noticed Derek was quickly saying something to Simon before the game continued. Whatever it was, Simon nodded, signifying that he understood.

As the whistle blew and resulted in a throw in from our side, the ball zoomed through the air and one of the guys on our team caught it. Then, as he ran down the court and was blocked, he did a back pass to Peter. To our dismay, Liam intercepted it once again and took off down the other way, dribbling as his long legs pumped furiously.

Immediately, Derek chased after him, keeping at Liam's heels. I had often wondered why Derek did so much running during his insane morning practices, but here, I could see the reason; he needed not only the power, but the stamina to keep it up. Liam was briefly surprised at Derek's ability to nearly match him in terms of speed, but that astonishment vanished almost as quickly as it came. Every second brought Liam closer to Lyle Academy's basket and we couldn't afford any more going in with the difference to be this large. _Come on, Derek!_

Then suddenly, a chance turned up. Unable to dribble as efficiently with his high speed, Liam fumbled the ball for a second, nearly losing control. And Derek caught that mistake. Swooping in like an eagle, Derek bent forward and swatted the ball out from Liam, sending it to Simon, who had been running on Derek's other side. Liam skidded to a halt, very aware that he no longer had the ball in his possession, but both Derek and Simon were already gone, tearing their way towards Pinecrest's goal.

I watched mesmerized as the two brothers dodged the opposing players with what seemed like minimal effort. Just as a member of Pinecrest Hall attempted to prevent Simon from shooting in the key, Simon feinted to the side before passing the ball back to his brother. Without a moment's hesitation, Derek caught it and shot it from beyond the 3-point line.

The ball sailed through the air, beautiful and true. One of Derek's teammates ran to the key, should it miss, but he didn't have to worry as the ball slipped into the basket and bounced off the floor, the sound resonating in the silent gym. Another fraction of a second passed as we processed what had just happened. Then the room sprang to life as the realization sunk in. Derek had successfully scored a 3-pointer within moments of his return.

Without thinking, I stood up immediately and cupped my hands around my mouth. "Way to go, Derek!" I yelled to be heard over the cheering crowd.

I didn't expect him to hear me, but to my bewilderment, my roommate suddenly looked over at the sound of my voice and met my eye. His face was fierce with determination to bring the match back into their favour but a small triumphant smile broke upon his features. Our eye contact only lasted for a brief moment as Simon ran over and nearly tackled his brother. I glanced at their coach, who nodded approvingly at Derek's basket and felt the weight on my heart lift a little. Even if Derek still wasn't re-promoted to first string right away, it wouldn't be long if he kept it up. After all, he deserved it.

Shortly after, the whistle sounded again, this time for the end of the third quarter. Although we were still behind, Derek and the others had prevented the away team from scoring another basket in the second half of quarter, which meant that we still had a chance of winning this fight.

The three minute break ended as quickly as it came and both sides marched out onto the court, determined to win the game. I was unable to take my eyes off the game below us, worried that I would miss something important. Both teams were at war, giving it their all. Lyle Academy's team was pressured by the fact that they had to remain tight in all of their positions while both being on the offence and defence. They couldn't afford to let any more baskets go in while needing to score a few more of their own to even out the score.

With Derek on the court, it was pretty easy to see why he held the title of "most valuable player". Even though he played center, he was able to cover up for his teammates. When one of Pinecrest's forwards got past the defence and was in the position of shooting, Derek broke away from his mark and slapped the ball away just in time as the opposing player released it. Before he had a chance to recover, one of our guys scooped it up, dribbling madly down the opposite end of the gym. With a quick pass to Simon, Lyle's captain was then able to get into the opponent's key. However, just before he was able to shoot, a defender stepped into his path, preventing Simon from getting a clear shot.

Without a moment's hesitation, Simon did something that was unusual; instead of jumping up or towards the basket, he leaped away from it, his body sailing backwards as he launched the ball. The projectile hit the rim and I held my breath for a fraction of a second, thinking that it would be a miss, but instead, the ball fell through the hoop, bringing Lyle Academy on par with Pinecrest Hall.

A wild cheer ran through the bleachers as the away team grimaced. Their "easy" win was gone, replaced by the uncertainty of what would be the outcome of this match. "Wow, a fadeaway," Tori murmured beside me as she stared down at Simon, who was collecting slaps from his teammates.

"Huh?"

My friend looked over. "You don't know what that is?" I shook my head as she sighed. "You're rooming with Lyle's basketball ace and yet your basketball knowledge still sucks."

I shrugged. " Actually, we usually don't talk a lot about basketball," I said apologetically.

A roll of her eyes. "Well whatever. A fadeaway is when an offending player, Simon in this case, jumps backwards, away from the basket. Since there was someone shielding him, it makes it harder for the defender to block the attempted shot. Not to mention that if the shooter is skilled enough, he could force the defending player to jump after him, resulting in a foul. The downside is that a fadeaway is hard to do because you have to have really good accuracy and be able to react quickly. It's also risky because if you screw up, you can't get your own rebound," Tori explained as the last few minutes ticked away. "Though rather than skilled, I would probably say that Simon was lucky this time around."

The remainder of the quarter trickled down to the last few minutes, with neither team scoring on the other. With the tension filling the air, it only depended on time to see which side cracked first. I just prayed that it wasn't Lyle.

Once the timer was down to the last sixty seconds, things began to get frantic. Pinecrest was in possession of the ball and they rushed towards the opposite basket. "Defend it no matter what!" I heard Simon shout as his teammates hurried back to their side of the court.

Being the first to reach the potential shooter, Peter hovered closely around his opponent, preventing him from getting a good shot. At the same time, it was difficult to pass due to his marker's closeness. Looking back and forth for an opening, sweat dripped from the offender's face as he clutched the ball in his hands. Then suddenly to the side, he saw a free teammate outside of the key. He ducked from Peter's zone of control and passed it. However, a blur brushed by him and intercepted the ball. Derek took off, with the horde of basketball players racing after him, the squeaks of their sneakers against the linoleum floor.

It wasn't long before Derek was screened by two jocks, ready to keep him from scoring. The pounding of my heart echoed in my ears as the seconds flew by, so that there was less than half a minute remaining. "Shoot!" I yelled at the same Derek lifted his arms high above his head and jumped into the air, releasing the ball.

His two markers leaped just a moment too late as the ball arced over their heads, making its path towards the goal. I held my breath as I watched the projectile, willing it to land safely in the net. There wasn't any more time.

But to my horror, the ball bounced off the rim and fell to the side. _No! _A cry of despair bubbled up in my throat at the miss. As I slumped back onto the bleachers, feeling defeated, a shape rose up from under the net and with one hand, he dunked it back into the basket.

I blinked, not believing what I had just saw. Simon had rebounded his brother's shot. Which meant that we were two points ahead of Pinecrest. "We won," I breathed as I stared onto the court.

"Not yet," Liz said urgently and my eyes darted to the timer. There was still 5 seconds left, just barely enough time for a comeback.

Pinecrest's point guard stood on the baseline and the moment he released the ball, the timer resumed. As predicted, he had passed to Liam, who put on a desperate burst of speed. I stared down at him. There was no way he could make it, right? But the further he got, the more the fear rose inside of me, saying that it was indeed possible. As the timer blared, signalling the end of the game, Liam threw the ball as hard as he could and there was nothing anyone could do but to watch.

Time seemed to slow as it flew through the air in a wide arc, the distance between the object and its destination getting shorter and shorter. I clasped my hands together so tightly that it was a wonder that blood was still able to circulate in them. Finally, the projectile succumbed to gravity and made its descent downwards, missing the goal by several meters. As the basketball bounced off the gym floor, it was as though I could suddenly hear again, the roar of noise filling the room as Derek and his teammates shouted for their victory.

Those who were seated on the bench ran towards their friends to join in the celebration as they had a massive group hug. As for me and my friends, we were screaming our delight at the outcome. "They made it into the rankings!" Tori exclaimed as I grinned from ear to ear.

"Yeah!"

Pinecrest Hall, as expected, was down about their loss, but they fought a hard battle, one that we barely managed to defeat. Putting on a strong front, they congratulated our team and exchanged handslaps for a good match before packing up and leaving.

After their departure, the basketball team hung around chatting happily on the court while the coach discussed something with the technician operating the scoreboard. Friends and family on the bleachers then took this as an opportunity to praise the members. We ran over to Derek and Simon, who spotted us and came over.

With all the high energy running through me with the win that they got, as well as the glow on Derek's face, I threw my arms around him. Derek froze, clearly caught off guard. Then I realized what I was doing and let go, the warmth climbing into my cheeks. "S-sorry! I'm just h-happy for you. I mean, with the win and everything. N-not that I didn't think you'd lose, but um yeah, congratulations," I stammered idiotically as I willed the earth to swallow me up whole.

Derek blinked a few times before the tension melted away from his posture and he gave me a small smile that did something to my insides. "Thanks, Chloe," he said, his gaze softening.

I wanted to look at anyone but him, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. The awkwardness of the moment grew until Simon came to my rescue. "Jeez, I was on there the whole time and yet Derek gets the hug? I'm feelin' kinda under appreciated," he voiced in mock outrage.

Grateful for his interruption, I turned towards him. "You were really amazing! I thought my heart was going to stop when Derek missed that last shot there, but you got it in."

Simon grinned. "I'd love to take all the credit, but Derek deserves half of it. The miss was intentional because he knew that he didn't have enough time to set up a proper 3-pointer, right bro?" he directed the question at Derek.

"Yeah."

"So," Tori said. "Derek took the chance, knowing that you would be able to rebound it, right?"

"Yup, 'cause he knows that I'm just that good."

An eye roll from Tori. "Gosh, your ego is so large that it's a wonder your big feet can hold you up."

Simon's playful smile turned sly as there was a sudden gleam in his brown eyes. "And you know what they say about guys with big feet..." he trailed off.

As Tori opened her mouth, evidently to shoot back a retort, the coach called his team back in. As the two of them hurried back to the bench, Tori shook her head in exasperation. "Teenage boys," she muttered in disgust.

Liz gave her a sympathetic smile. "You should just let it slide. After all, it _is_ their day," she commented as she eyed Peter from across the gym.

"Speaking of which," Tori added as she turned to face me and I suddenly got a very good idea of what she was going to say next. "I can't believe you did that!"

I shrugged, feeling slightly uncomfortable under her intense scrutiny. "Not to mention that he's all sweaty too. Ugh." Tori made a face at the thought. "But if your feelings for him weren't obvious earlier, they sure are now."

My eyes widened as what she said sunk in. _Oh crap. I'm not ready for Derek to know._ I thought as panic seized me. Liz laid a comforting hand on my shoulder as she gave Tori a look. "Don't worry, Chloe. Derek doesn't seem the type to realize that that hug was more than what it seemed," she said.

"He may be a genius in academics and sports, but Derek's dumb as hell when it comes to other things, so you're safe for now," Tori added as she crossed her arms.

I nodded slowly, a mixture of feelings blending together filled me. I was a little relieved to know that Derek wouldn't think anything of my sudden hug out of nowhere, but at the same time, it was kind of disheartening that _that_ particular thought would never enter his mind.

. . . . . . . . . .

The next week went by like a blur. I stood in the parking lot, wrapping my jacket tighter around me in the chilly wind as I watched the other Lyle Academy students load their luggage onto the shuttle bus that would bring them to the city. Liz and Tori were among those who were heading home for the long weekend. "It's going to be so quiet with you guys gone," I mumbled wistfully.

Tori threw her bag into the storage compartment with a thud and turned to face me with a cocky grin. "Yeah, but you get four whole days with Derek with hardly anyone else around," she pointed out, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. "You better not waste it."

I gave her a look that said what I thought of her "advice". "Somehow, I doubt there's going to be any progress."

Liz shrugged as the breeze blew a few golden strands of hair across her face. Frowning, she brushed them back. "Maybe. But if you see an opportunity, seize it because you don't know when you're getting it again, okay?" she said.

"Okay."

The beeping of the bus ended our conversation as it was time to go, or else they would have to wait for the next one. Not to mention that it was at least an hour's ride into the edge of the city. We hugged each other goodbye and promised to text each other for updates. As the bus disappeared over the hill, I sighed and walked back to my dorm, where it was practically empty with the exception of a handful of students.

The first day in a nearly empty dorm was a little strange with the unending silence because it was usually noisy to the point where the dorm head would make us return to our rooms for the night. But having Derek and Simon around made it a little easier to bear.

Ever since their win last week, Derek's been doubling his practice sessions outside, burning with the determination to regain his lost position. While the dropping temperature outside made me retreat to our cozy room and want to do nothing but to hide under my covers, it did nothing to steer Derek away from his goal. Even the rain had no effect on my roommate. Or so I thought.

On the third day, Derek acted a little strange. Instead of taking at least three portions, Derek only had twice the amount of food that I took. I gave a pointed glance at his tray. "Did you forget another portion or something?" I asked as I poked at my questionable turkey sub.

A grunt of a reply came as Derek dug in. "Going to work out after. Don't want to be too full," he mumbled as Simon rolled his eyes.

"Um, Thanksgiving is a holiday, bro. And long weekends are supposed to be relaxing."

Derek ignored him as we ate. "So, what are you going to do after dinner?" I asked Simon as he shrugged.

"I'm probably going to work on my latest art piece. Not an assignment or anything, but just for fun, seeing how we usually don't get too much time to enjoy our lives," he replied with a grin. "You?"

I returned it. "I'm in the middle of reading 1984, so I'd like to finish it by tomorrow since we have homework on it."

Simon made a face. "Bleh. Homework on a long weekend. You should do it later," he said as he drained his orange juice.

Derek stopped eating and gave him a dry look. "Thankfully, Chloe's not like you, Simon. She has some responsibility, unlike someone I know."

Simon flipped him the finger and started to clean up. Then he offered to bring my now empty tray back to the counter. I gave it to him with a quick thanks as Derek handed his over as well, though Simon ignored him. "You can bring it back yourself, Mr. Responsible," he muttered and left.

Derek rolled his eyes and got up. "I'll see you later," he murmured as he grabbed his gym bag that was sitting on the floor.

I nodded and returned to our room. I did curl up in my chair and read some more of my assigned novel, though it wasn't before long that I hopped online and did funner things such as reading movie reviews and watching trailers for upcoming releases. I was in the middle of sitting through a trailer when the door to my room creaked open. Glimpsing Derek's figure in the doorway, I greeted him. "Welcome back. Was it raining hard enough for you out there?"

When Derek didn't reply, I frowned and turned away from my laptop, finally getting a good look at him. My eyes widened at the sight of him dripping head to toe in rainwater and that there was something wrong with his posture. I shot up from my chair. "Derek? You okay?"

"Yeah," he murmured as he stumbled forward, being very obvious that he wasn't fine.

As he stepped into the light, I noticed that his face was incredibly pale with a furious flush over his cheeks. I couldn't tell whether it was rain or sweat that plastered his bangs onto his forehead, but his red-rimmed eyes seemed greener than usual in the dark lighting. Derek blinked a few times, as though trying to see through a fog. "_No_, you're not. Do you feel nauseous?" I demanded as he dropped his wet gym bag onto the floor.

"Just kind of dizzy."

I led him towards his bed and he sat down heavily on the mattress, the springs squeaking in protest. "You should lie down and get some rest," I said as I pushed him so that he was lying down. "I'll go get Simon."

Just as the words left my mouth, Derek's hand shot out, grabbing my wrist, the motion making me stop in my tracks. His hand was feverishly warm. "No. Not Simon," he mumbled, his words barely coherent.

"But-"

Derek looked at me, his face in pain. "I don't want him to know. It's nothing serious."

I frowned, not liking that. But from the set of Derek's jaw, it was obvious that it wasn't up for discussion. I sighed, giving in. "Fine. But if you're not better in the morning, I'm getting someone," I warned as Derek nodded miserably, the very motion making him paler.

I glanced down at his drenched clothing. "You should change out of those before you get even sicker," I pointed out.

Derek groaned as he sat up, holding a hand to his head. I hated making him move when he was feeling awful, but it needed to be done. He lifted the hem of his t-shirt, but after a few unsuccessful tries, it was evident that the shirt was going no where. Derek just didn't have enough energy. I fidgeted in discomfort as I watched him fail each time. He had to get out of his shirt at the very least because it was made of cotton material whereas he wore track pants that had thankfully repelled water. I wanted to get Simon so he could help his brother, but Derek was determined to keep his illness to himself. Running a hand through my hair, I finally settled on a decision to help him. Sitting on the edge of his mattress, I batted his hands away. "Here, let me."

Derek turned his back to me as I gently fingered the hem, my heart pounding dangerously fast. _Well, this isn't awkward at all. Not only are you helping your roommate strip, but he also happens to be your crush too. No big deal, right?_ I swallowed thickly. The longer he stayed in wet clothing, the worse he'd be. Taking a deep breath, I braced myself and lifted his shirt over his head. As the fabric uncovered his back, I froze in place.

Instead of a smooth muscular back, like I had expected, faint scars stared out at me.

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><p><strong>AN: Well, my beta reader said this to me: "What the hell are you thinking leaving it on her being on his bed(kinda) while helping him take his shirt off.  
>You're gonna get torn to shreds." And I apologize for another cliff hanger. The next chapter will be rather important for Derek as it reveals more about his character and history. For those who don't know, I normally post updates on my twitter account on my progress, so if you are interested to know when I'll be updating, you can find a link on my profile page. Anyway, please look forward to the next one!<strong>


	24. His Past pt I

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm off school at the moment, though I only have another week of freedom (where has the time gone?!). I love all of the responses that you gave for the last chapter! I was afraid that the game was too long, but it seemed that most of you enjoyed it. Quite a bit is revealed in this chapter and it's been pretty fun to write it.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers. One final thank you to my beta-reader, KG, for reading and editing this even though we always end up having spirited disagreements over what should and should not be there. I really appreciated your time and effort.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: His Past pt. I<strong>

A hundred thoughts flew through my mind as I stared down at the pinkish lines of raised tissue. They were hardly covering his back, like one of the sophomores had implied, though I couldn't tear my eyes away from them. Only the sound of Derek's laboured breathing snapped me out of the spell.

I swallowed again, trying to maintain a neutral face despite the shock that I had just received. "Y-you should lie down while I get some medicine," I stuttered as Derek laid back down, his gaze averted.

Keeping my hands steady, I brought the covers up to his chin and hopped off his bed. Opening up the closet on my side of the room, I dug through my stuff until I felt a small familiar package and pulled it out.

Although I had changed schools frequently in my life, Aunt Lauren always made sure that I packed my first aid kit. I had often complained about the extra luggage, but now I was grateful that I didn't put up much of a fight when she shoved it at me prior to my transfer. I opened up the bag and the contents spilled out onto the carpeted floor. Swallowing a curse, I rummaged through the various antiseptics and bandages until I found my prize: a small bottle of Tylenol. Immediately, I scooped everything else back in and flipped the bottle over as I read about the dosage that Derek would need.

Just as I found it, my eyes latched onto the strict instructions that it should be taken with food. I bit back a groan as I glimpsed the time on Derek's bedside alarm. The cafeteria was closing up at this hour and by the time I got there, it definitely would be too late. I quickly racked my brain for ideas about food.

Both Derek and I kept some junk food in the room, but something told me that fuzzy peaches or sour watermelon slices wouldn't make Derek any better off. Simon probably had something healthier, as I had learned that he was diabetic not too long ago, but Derek wouldn't want me to raise Simon's suspicions about why I was suddenly converting to something healthier than candy.

Finally, I thought of the vending machine that was located in the lobby of our dorm. While it did sell mainly junk food, there were some healthier options like apple slices and bagged carrots.

Grabbing my wallet as well as my lanyard that contained the room key, I turned to Derek. "I'll be right back. Just hang on for a bit."

There wasn't a reply. He was either too sick to answer or he passed out. I was kind of hoping for the latter.

I hurried down three sets of stairs as I was left alone with my thoughts once more. _If only I had realized that there was something weird with Derek earlier... then maybe he wouldn't have gotten so sick._ A stab of guilt penetrated my defences. I should have been paying more attention. Especially with the way he had been pushing himself lately. Derek had been overworking and as a result, he didn't take enough care of himself.

I brought my hand to my wrist, where Derek had reached out and stopped me from going to Simon. Even though the contact was a mere fraction of a second, I swore I could still feel the heat generated from his long calloused fingers. Then my mind flipped to what happened next, when I pulled his shirt away and saw the net of lines scattered across his back.

How did Derek get those scars? I knew it wasn't anything ridiculous like drug dealing as the other students thought, but looking at them, they were obviously from a traumatic event in the past. Was he bullied when he was younger? Or was he trying to defend his brother? There were countless theories on how Derek's back was disfigured, but there was only one truth.

While I knew that he obviously didn't like to talk about it, some small part of me felt hurt that he didn't trust me enough to tell me. _Maybe he was going to_. I thought as I stepped onto the ground floor. That thought made me feel even worse. Was that why he averted his gaze? Because he wanted to tell me himself and yet, the revelation spilled out before it was supposed to? I sighed as I stepped in front of the vending machines. Even though curiosity and concern burned through me, I knew that if Derek wanted to talk about his scars, he would. And if he did, then I would listen. But if he didn't? Then I wouldn't push him either.

Steering my thoughts away, I scanned the choices available from the vending machine. Indeed, there were several prepackaged fruit and vegetable options. The question was which to pick. _Something that's easily chewable seeing as Derek barely has enough energy to take off his own shirt. What did my mom give me when I was sick?_I thought back to the time where my mom was alive before the car accident and felt a pang of sadness. While it had been a little over a decade, I often thought about the kind of life I would have had if she was around. I didn't have a problem with Aunt Lauren as a substitute mother, but at the same time, it wasn't the same.

I shook my head as I focused at the task at hand. Whenever I was sick, I could remember that my mom often fed me soft fruits which were easy to get down, so I looked at the choices the vending machines had to offer and selected a can of peaches as well as a bottle of water.

When I returned back to the room that I shared with Derek, he was still unconscious and I felt a little bad as I shook his shoulder, my fingers still cool from the bottle. "Derek, please wake up and eat something so you can take your medicine," I said as he stirred.

It took a few more tries, but after a small groan, he woke up enough to push himself into an upright position with some help. I popped the can lid open and plucked the plastic fork off it. Sitting on the edge of his bed, I stabbed a piece of fruit and held it out to him. However, instead of eating it right away, Derek had a troubled look on his face, his eyes glowing feverishly green. "The sooner you eat, the sooner you can go back to sleep," I urged. "Come on."

His next reply was so low that I had to strain to catch it. "You saw them."

"Huh?"

"The scars," Derek said quietly as he finally turned to face me.

I lowered the fork just a little as I decided on how to proceed with my recent discovery. "We… we can talk about that later when you aren't half dead, okay? Now eat."

I didn't think he would drop the subject so easily, but I guess the sternness in my voice caught him slightly off guard because he did as I asked and ate the fruit. Although it seemed that just eating was a chore, Derek managed to finish the can of peaches with my help. Then he took the pills and drained half the bottle. "Thanks," he mumbled, as though he was talking through marbles.

I nodded. "Now, go back to sleep," I said.

As I rose from the edge of his bed, a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, the heat in them making me stop. Looking back at him, my eyes widened as I glimpsed raw emotions unfolding upon his face. For once, they were unguarded. "Derek?"

"Don't." His voice was barely audible.

I frowned. "Don't what?"

Derek swallowed, his cheeks were flushed from the fever, making it hard for him to concentrate on anything. After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and expelled the words. "Don't go."

I blinked. _Where would I go?_ I thought to myself. _Considering it's practically curfew time._ But I nodded again as I brought over Derek's computer chair and plopped down onto it. "Okay, I'll stay right here until you fall asleep," I said quietly.

Another mumble escaped him, though it was so laced with sleep that I couldn't make it out. However, I did catch the next bit. "-don't want to be alone."

Hearing the uncharacteristic vulnerability in his voice made him seem so much younger than he was. With his maturity, size and quiet disposition, it was easy to forget that he was still just a kid, like the rest of us. He had demons haunting him just like everyone else.

Without hesitating, I surprised myself a little when I reached forward and took his larger hand in mine. His warm, dry palm felt unfamiliar against my skin and I felt a small jolt zing through me at the contact. Giving it a squeeze, I looked directly at my roommate, who looked at me with astonishment and something else. "You aren't alone, Derek. I'm here," I murmured softly.

There was so much more that I wanted to say, but somehow everything that seemed appropriate seemed horribly cliche or total crap that the words to form them didn't even get a chance to escape my mouth. However, my sincerity must have shown on my face, because I could see a change in Derek's features. He relaxed a little as a small crooked smile formed at the corners of his mouth, making my stomach do somersaults. Although his genuine smiles were rare, there was something different about this one. He looked... almost grateful.

As I recovered and gave him a smile in return, Derek's eyelids drooped, heavy with the temptation to sleep. Another few seconds and his breathing slowed as he drifted into a state of unconsciousness. Slowly, I released his hand and straightened. His cheeks were still slightly pink due to his high internal temperature, but he seemed a little more at ease now. I wasn't entirely sure of what happened in those few moments, but it was obvious that Derek was terrified at the idea of being alone. There wasn't a whole lot that I could do, but making sure that he's never alone is something I could manage. I glanced down at my roommate. _I'll stay by your side for as long as you'll let me._

During the night, I woke periodically to check on Derek to find him sleeping deeply, the flush from his fever subsiding. The Tylenol seemed to have worked as he didn't look as sick as he had been a few hours earlier. Feeling relieved, I tucked my legs back under the covers and finally fell asleep.

The next morning, the creak of the shower tap shutting off woke me. Seeing the sunlight through my eyelids, I groaned as I buried my face deeper into my pillow, not wanting to get up. However, as muffled fabric sounds came from somewhere in the room piqued my curiosity, I rolled over and sat up. Blinking away sleep, I glanced around before catching a glimpse of Derek's empty bed. Alarmed, my eyes widened as I took in the sight of rumpled bedsheets with its owner no where in sight. Just as I tossed my covers to the side and stood, the bathroom door opened to reveal Derek towel-drying his hair.

"D-derek?"

He looked up at the mention of his name and his lips formed a small crooked smile that made my heart beat faster. "Hey."

I gave him a once over, checking for any signs of his fever from last night, but he seemed almost normal with the exception of his faint bloodshot eyes. "You seem better. Are you feeling okay?" I asked.

My roommate nodded as he hung the towel around his neck. "Yeah, I'm good," he rumbled in his usual low voice. Then an abashed look crossed his features as he added, "Thanks... for looking after me."

I raised my eyebrows. "You seemed surprised that I would. We're roommates after all, why wouldn't I look after you?"

Derek shrugged as he stuck his hands into the pocket of his sweats, rocking back on his heels. "I'm not used to it, I guess."

"Well, I told you this before, but I got your back," I said. "And I won't leave you alone either."

The hint of a smile that formed on Derek's face froze as his face became unreadable, his lips pressing together in a hard line. I frowned. "Did... did I say something wrong?" My voice came out small and uncertain.

My roommate shook his head slowly. "No, it's not that. It's something else..."

I cocked my head to the side, watching him expectantly. Silence surrounded us for a few moments as Derek looked out the window, his expression distant as though he was elsewhere. By the set of his jaw, I swore I caught a glimmer of pain on his face before it faded as soon as it came. I wanted to say something... _anything_, but I didn't know what was wrong, only that something was. I bit my lip as the words formed in my head. But would they be enough for him? Swallowing, I took my chance. "You know," I started as Derek broke out of his trance and turned to face me. "If you ever want to talk... I'm here."

Derek blinked once as the words sunk in. Then the small crooked smile that I loved, tugged at his lips. "I know. It's just that I've never told anyone other than Simon and my dad..." his voice dropped a few notches. "But you'll be the first."

"The first?"

Instead of answering, his eyes met mine, his emerald orbs burning like green fire. In them, I could see the wave of emotions churning over and over, pain and resolution mixed among them. I didn't know what Derek was talking about, but whatever it was, it meant a lot to him. Knowing that I was about to get a glimpse into my roommate's world, I watched him attentively.

Wordlessly, Derek's hand slowly reached up, touched his upper back and I knew. He wanted to talk about his scars. Derek swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing, as he ran a hand through his partially dry hair. After a few seconds of hesitation, Derek took a deep breath. "It's kind of a long story. You should sit." I sat down cross-legged on my bed. "Well, here goes nothing..."

. . . . . . . . . .

(Twelve years ago)

_The boy glanced up from his math workbook as he heard the faint sound of laughter outside and scurried over curiously to the window for a better look. In the glass, a pair of rich leafy green eyes peered back at him through the curtain of dark messy hair that hung in his face. Looking through his reflection, he got a glimpse of a couple of boys, no older than he was, happily chasing each other down the abandoned street, whooping with glee as they dodged each others' outstretched hands._

_Their backpacks swung from side to side as they ran through the neighbourhood, a sign that they were returning from a day at school. The boy watched them until they disappeared out of view. He didn't understand why they were laughing at such a stupid game, but at the same time, he thought that it looked... fun. Sliding back down the moth-eaten couch, the young child turned his attention back to the set of math problems that he had been working on before he was distracted._

_Math seemed more practical than running around aimlessly. The boy liked that math was like a puzzle, with only one correct answer. All you needed to know were the rules and he was fast at learning. He wasn't quite five, but he was good at reading and loved working on math. He loved it even more when _she_ smiled at him and praised him for being "ingenious"._

_As light footsteps sounded in the hallway, the boy's gaze darted to the door, where a few moments later, a woman appeared. Seeing that she had his attention, her blue eyes softened as she knelt in front of the wobbly table and skimmed the set of equations that he had done. The boy sat there quietly, holding his breath as she finally set the book down and looked at him with pride. "Perfect as always, Derek," she murmured as she reached out and ruffled his black hair. "My little genius."_

_The boy warmed at her words as a small grin tugged at his lips. He liked making her happy. The woman lifted her hand slowly as her mouth stretched into a motherly smile. "How do you feel about going grocery shopping with me before your father comes home?" she asked as Derek stood up and nodded._

_Taking her hand, the two of them walked for a long time because they only had one car, a beaten up old vehicle that _he_ used to go to work. But Derek didn't mind. It wasn't very often that he went out, but he savoured every moment of it._

_Once at the store, Derek watched as his mother selected various objects to put into her cart. Occasionally, she would hesitate, a shadow of worry would cross her face as her eyes glanced at the prices. As young as he was, he knew that nearly everything in the world required money, something that his family didn't have very much of. He could remember the nights where his stomach growled as he struggled to sleep. While it hasn't happened for a long time, Derek frowned at the memory, not wanting to experience it again. "Hey," his mother called when she saw her son troubled. "There's the snack aisle over there. Do you want to go pick something out?"_

_Derek shook his head. As much as he liked candy, he knew that they weren't necessary and were only a waste of money. Stifling the urge to accept her offer, he said quietly, "No."_

_The small smile faded from his mother's face as she studied him. A look of sadness replaced it and Derek averted his gaze from her. He didn't know why she looked like that, but he hated to see her downcast. They remained silent for the next few moments before his mother cleared her throat. "Well," she said with forced cheerfulness. "We should pay for these and then get going or else your father will feel left out if he discovers that we went without him."_

_Shortly after, they left the store with bags in their hands. As they crossed the street, something in his peripheral vision caught Derek's attention and he stopped. Looking back, he blinked at the sight of a run down toy shop that had a space-related display case. Inside was a series of little martian-like creatures as well as several plastic stars which dangled from the ceiling. As simple as the display was, he couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sight of a rocket which had landed successfully on the reddish-brown surface. It was highly detailed in terms of structure and he could imagine a larger version that could carry people to distant lands._

_The boy was staring at the display so intently that he didn't realize his mother was standing next to him. "What do you think of it?" she asked her son as he looked up to see her smiling._

_"I think it's amazing. Do you think people can one day visit Mars in a rocket ship like that one?" Derek asked as he turned to look at the exhibit._

"_How do you know it's Mars?"_

_The boy pointed to the reddish-brown sand that dusted the floor of the presentation in front of them. "Mars is known as the 'Red Planet' because of this element that gives it a reddish colour," he answered her as he started to frown. "I don't remember the name of it though."_

_His mother laid her hand gently on his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. "Well, I don't know what it is called either, but answering your question, I think that yes, one day, astronauts will be able to explore Mars," she said. "Maybe you'll be one when you grow up, who knows? After all, you do spend enough time stargazing when you think no one is watching."_

_Derek flushed in embarrassment at being caught. But what she said was true; when he wasn't doing math or reading with his mother, he loved watching the stars from his window and learning all he could about the endless sky. He knew that there had already been people to set foot on the moon, but he wanted to go further. Derek wanted to be among those who explored Mars. "Yes, I'd like that," he murmured softly._

_The next few days passed and Derek forgot all about the rocket ship that he had seen at the toy shop. He was helping his mother in the kitchen when loud footsteps came from the door. "Who left this mess on the floor?" a deep voice boomed._

_It was his father. Derek flinched as he had forgotten to clean up his books, which he had scattered on the floor so he could read better with the fading sunlight. Seeing the dismay on her son's face, Derek's mother quickly shielded him behind her as a large man stomped into the kitchen, the smell of sweat from a hard day's work lingering on him. "Zach, I asked Derek to help me. He didn't mean to leave his books there," she countered._

_Upon seeing her face, the man's face softened a little, the anger dissipating slowly. Glaring down at his son, who had the urge to shirk away from the scrutiny of his fierce green eyes, his father lowered his voice a notch. "Go clean it up. Now."_

_Derek didn't need to be told twice. He left the kitchen quickly, to get away from the man that he called his father. Although the older man was never outright cruel to him, Derek knew that he wasn't very well liked. The only person that he loved was his wife. And he saw his son as someone who competed for his wife's time and love. And so, Derek did his best to keep out of his father's way._

_As he collected his things, he heard muffled voices from the kitchen. Then he heard his name being mentioned. Like any other young child, Derek was curious and so he stopped cleaning and edged closer to the nearly-but-not-completely closed door that led to the next room. "-it's Derek's birthday in two days," said his mother._

"_So?"_

"So_, I'd like to give him a proper present for once and I think I know what he would like. A rocket that he had seen the other day from Old Albert's toyshop."_

_Derek felt his heart beat faster in excitement. He had forgotten all about his birthday. In the previous years, he had always received minor presents due to the lack of money, but he didn't mind. However, hearing that he was about to get the rocket that he really liked made him feel as though he was one step closer to his dreams._

_A snort. "Money's tight enough without petty things such as presents. He can do without one, Adrienne," said Derek's father._

"_Zachary Cain." Her voice was sharp with warning. "I've been saving a little from each grocery shopping trip and I'm sure that I have enough. Derek's been _perfect_ as much as you refuse to believe so. Regardless of what you say, I will be going out tomorrow to buy it for our son."_

_A moment of silence passed before the man spoke again, this time in resignation. "Do whatever you want."_

_As the thud of footsteps approached the door, Derek scrambled back to the floor, where the remainder of his library books were splayed out across the floorboards. At the sound of the kitchen door opening, Derek looked up, keeping his face neutral. His father marched in and took a moment to look down at his son, his eyes cold and callous. Derek stared back, unwilling to look away. _

_Zachary Cain was a large man, his shoulders were so wide that they filled the doorway behind him. His dirty blond hair was cropped short to give him the air of a no-nonsense sort of man as was the scowl that was constantly on his face. Streaked with grime and sweat, he was often in a terrible mood when he returned from work and Derek knew that it was unwise to provoke him in any way. _

_The two stared at each other for what felt like a long time before Derek turned his gaze away, unable to meet his father's deep emerald eyes. The older man smirked, as though winning over a child was a great feat worth feeling proud of. At last, he backed out of the living room to retreat into the bathroom for a hot bath._

_The boy let out the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. Although his father had never raised a hand to strike him, Derek knew that it was only a matter of time. For now, all he had standing between them was his mother. And with her there, Zachary Cain wouldn't dare._

_The next day, when Adrienne told her son that she was going out, Derek tried not to nod too enthusiastically. "I'll be back soon, okay? Then we can read Magic Treehouse together once I get back."_

"_Okay, mom."_

_Derek watched as his mom opened her umbrella and waved to her from the living room window. She smiled and waved back as she began her long walk in the rain. Derek fingered a library book that he had taken out. Like many of the others, it was about the universe. It was hard to imagine a stretch of space that expanded infinitely. Would it be possible to drift forever and never find your way back? Since there wasn't any gravity, if something like a coin, floated throughout the galaxy, would it be considered "lost" as the chances of seeing it again were practically non-existent? There was so much to wonder about that Derek spent the entire afternoon happily reading and dreaming about other worlds beyond the one that he lived in. In fact, he didn't even realize that his mom had not returned home until his father came back from work._

_The door slammed open and Zachary Cain walked into the room, bringing Derek back to reality. He watched as his father looked at him in disinterest before calling for his wife, only to have silence reply. The boy's heart hammered as he glimpsed the time on the clock. It had been several hours since he had seen his mother leave the house. All of a sudden, he felt an unexplainable feeling of dread settle in the pit of his stomach, making him feel ill._

_Moments later, his father stormed back into the living room and loomed over the boy. "Where is your mother?" Zachary Cain demanded, his face sweaty and anxious._

_Derek shook his head, unable to answer. "I don't know," he whispered, his voice barely audible._

_The boy's father cursed at his son's uselessness before pacing the room like a caged wolf. Derek swallowed painfully as the unease in him grew stronger. There was something wrong. He didn't know what and the uncertainty bit at him, cold and ruthless._

_Finally, after what seemed like hours on end but in reality was only a handful of minutes, the doorbell rang and both of them raced towards it. With his longer stride, the older man reached it first and answered breathlessly, "Hello?"_

_Derek fell back painfully on the floor from the impact of running into his father, but he ignored his jolted body as he watched the door open to reveal a police officer._

"_Are the two of you related to Adrienne Souza?"_

_The blood drained from Zachary Cain's face. "Yes," he said hoarsely, sounding very different from his usual proud self._

_Derek didn't understand the older man's reaction as he had always thought of policemen as the "good guys". But somehow, the man who stood facing them looked grimmer than anyone else Derek had ever seen. The trepidation in him strengthened into horror and shock as the law enforcer spoke the next few words that would send the young boy's world crashing down. _

"_I'm sorry to say that there has been an accident."_

_The next hour passed by without acknowledgement as the boy stared down at the lifeless form of his mother on the hospital bed. Her raven black hair fanned out beneath her, her skin as pale as the moon. Adrienne's eyes were closed and her face was so peaceful that she looked as though she was merely asleep, but no matter how much he called her name, she wouldn't wake. She never would again._

_On the ride to the hospital, the police officer had explained that there had been a car that was running a red light when Derek's mother had been crossing the street, on the way home. Upon seeing her, the driver had slammed on the brakes, but as it had been raining, the vehicle skidded and was unable to stop in time. Both of them were taken to the hospital, but neither had made it out._

_Arrangements were made for her funeral, but the young boy sat there, drained and numb, unable to feel anything but shock. His father took off into the night, without a care for his son, most likely to find a way to escape reality. As Derek curled up on the hard plastic chair, he looked up weakly when the law enforcer approached him. "Come on, let's take you home," he said as he reached out a hand to the young child._

_Derek stared at the man's outstretched hand, knowing that the policeman had good intentions, but he couldn't bring himself to take it. The older man's hand dropped slowly as he nodded slowly in understanding. Wordlessly, the two of them returned to the empty house._

_After the police officer contacted Zachary Cain, Derek slipped into his room, which was no bigger than a storage space. He climbed onto the old mattress and hugged his knees to his chest. His mom was gone. And she would never come back. A sob broke through as he thought about all the good things about his mother. Adrienne was always quick with a smile for anything that Derek did. Even when he stumbled over a new word, she would encourage him and work it through with her son. The boy loved hearing his mother hum, albeit a little off tune, whenever she cooked. But most of all, he missed her love._

_The tears leaked out, one by one, trailing down his face. It hurt. It hurt_ so_ badly. But what made it worse was that if he had not stopped to admire that rocket in that display case, his mother may have lived; it was all his fault. Droplets of water fell onto his worn blanket and Derek choked on the lack of air. He felt as though his ribs were being crushed by an unseen force. He had lost the one person he loved the most in this world._

_The next few days felt like forever as the young child hid in his room, only coming out to eat whatever that was there. Since his mother's death, there had been many strange people in his home, making him feel like a cornered mouse. Not only had they invaded his house, but they even asked for him to speak to them, wanting to know more about the boy who lost his mother in a tragic accident. Derek clamped his hands over his ears as he tried to block out the string of noises outside his door. If he tried hard enough, he would succeed._

_Finally, on the day of the funeral, he left his room. The boy stood among strangers as everyone said their farewells to Adrienne Souza. As he walked past them, he could feel their sympathetic gazes upon him as well as hear their murmured apologies. With every "I'm sorry" that he received, Derek felt angrier and angrier. Apologizing for his loss wasn't going to bring his mother back. Their pitying looks didn't make matters any better either._

_Derek distanced himself from the others and sat on a stone bench, watching his father speak with the strangers from a distance. He didn't know what life would be like from this point forward. It was absolutely impossible to imagine Zachary Cain fulfilling the empty void that had been left by his mother. For as long as he could remember, Derek was never close to his father. Would their relationship change for the better now that it was just the two of them? There was no one else he could turn to._

_He felt that spike of anger again. Why did this have to happen to him? He was 4... no, 5 now. Not that _that_ had anything significant to do with his life now. Gritting his teeth in fury and pain, he kicked one of the pebbles and watched it fly a few inches before stopping by another pair of feet. Surprised, Derek looked up to see a grown man standing in front of him, looking uncertain._

_The older man was dark haired and had warm brown eyes. He had to be around Zachary Cain's age, but unlike Derek's father, there were early signs of wrinkles on this man's face that suggested that he smiled often. Derek frowned as the man approached him. "Would you mind if I sat down?" he asked._

_Derek though about it for a moment before shaking his head and shifting over. A smile blossomed on the stranger's face as he took his place on the stone bench. "I'm a friend of your mother's. My name is Christopher Bae, but you may call me 'Kit'."_

"_Was."_

"_Hm?"_

_Derek glanced up at the man known as Kit. "My mom is dead, so you mean that you _were_ her friend," he replied stonily. _

_Kit raised an eyebrow. "Just because she's no longer here, does it mean that you _were_ her son?"_

"_Of course not. She'll always be my mother just as I will always be her son," Derek shot back, annoyed. "What do you want?"_

"_I just wanted to know you better, seeing I never got the chance to. Your mom and I grew up together and we were good friends. Though, when she married your father and moved away, we began to go our separate ways." Kit sighed as his shoulders slumped with depression. "Now, I regret that more than ever."_

_Derek said nothing as he stared at the crowd of mourners chatting with his father. Seeing them, the feeling of never belonging grew. "It's all my fault."_

_Frowning, Kit turned to the boy. "What do you mean?" he asked._

_Derek dropped his gaze to his hands, where he held them tightly against each other until his tiny knuckles turned white. "She went out because of me. My mom wanted to get me something for my birthday and because of it, she died," he whispered as a tear dropped into his lap._

_The boy didn't have to look up to know that the stranger's face was filling with compassion as he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. "Listen, Derek," Kit said gently. "Sometimes, bad things happen. As much as we wish so, we can't changed the past. We can only decide what will happen to us in the future. I don't think that it's your fault that Adrienne passed away. She-" he faltered slightly before taking a breath, as though to summon the courage to expel the next words out of his mouth. "-was only in the wrong place at the wrong time."_

_Derek said nothing as he wiped his tears away with a sleeve. "I know it hurts. I can't say that I can feel everything that you're going through right now, but I've also lost a dear friend. But you know what your mom would have wanted you to do?" Kit questioned._

_Derek shrugged. "What is it?"_

_Kit ruffled the boy's hair, in a manner that was very similar to the way that his mother did for him. _

"_She'd want you to continue to live your life and make the best out of it. Don't forget about the good memories you made with your mother, but you have to carry on. It's just the way life works."_

_And so, with Kit's words in mind, for the next while, Derek gradually got over his mother's death a little easier and began to live again. Though her absence was deafening obvious, Derek pushed away the sadness that he felt and did his best to move on. It took several attempts, but finally, he was able to do it. While he had holed up in his room, the house had turned into a dump. Beer bottles were littered across the floor as well as take out boxes with mold starting to set in on the remaining food. The stench of alcohol soaked into the carpet made the boy want to gag. He cringed at the mess. His mother was a relatively tidy person and her son had inherited that trait._

_Derek glanced around the room, looking for his father, but to his relief, the older man was no where to be found. "Good, it'll be easier without him around," he murmured quietly to himself as he began to clean the room._

_At first, he wasn't entirely sure of how to proceed, but then he slowly got the feel of it and began to organize things in patterns. Beer bottles belonged together, while food containers went into the garbage. Dirty dishes were stacked together and broken ones were swept away. It helped that when he wasn't working on his math problem sets or reading, he would be helping his mother keep the house in order. Standing on top of a step stool, Derek washed the dishes as best he could, humming off tune like the way his mother had._

_When he was done, he felt extremely tired, but at the same time, he looked at the almost clean room and smiled, enjoying the feeling of productiveness. There wasn't much he could do for the soiled carpet, but he had opened all the windows in the house to let out some of the foul stench._

_Life in the house was relatively normal, with the exception of Adrienne. For the most part, Derek avoided his father like the plague, unsure of how to face his only family member. And Zachary Cain was content to pretend that his son didn't exist. When he was at home, he spent the nights drinking his life away, then passing out soon after. However, one time, when Derek was tiptoeing towards the bathroom one particular late night, he heard muffled sobs coming from the master bedroom._

_Feeling a tug on his heart, the boy peered through crack in the barely open doorway to see his father hunched over the side of the bed while looking at a picture of his wife. "Why," Zachary Cain murmured as he placed a hand over his eyes. "Why did it have to be you?"_

_Swallowing painfully, Derek backed away. There wasn't a day that he didn't think about his mother, but even so, he forced himself to keep on living. What his father was doing was wasting away. He barely remembered to shower half the time. Clenching his tiny fists at his side, Derek decided that it was time to let his father realize that he too needed to move on, as painful as it was._

_Little by little, Derek allowed his existence to be known. Instead of hiding away in his room whenever his father roamed the house, Derek stayed where he was. For the most part, Zachary was too consumed by depression to notice him, however, as time passed, the grief turned into anger._

_One day, the young boy was busy in the kitchen, trying to remember how his mother cooked eggs, when heavy footsteps thudded into the room. Surprised by the abruptness of his father's appearance, the egg carton slipped from Derek's hands and crashed onto the floor. He flinched as the splatter of egg material spread throughout the linoleum._

"_What the hell are you doing?" Zachary Cain demanded, his voice low with rage._

_Derek's eyes shot to his father's furious face and shrank back from the older man's looming figure. "C-cooking," he whispered, trying to keep the fear out of his voice._

_Zachary Cain approached the boy, who backed away. "Doesn't look like it to me, you useless, pathetic little shit. I come home to see this?!" He waved at the mess around them and his son flinched again._

"_Sorry, fath-"_

_Like lightning, Derek's head snapped to the side as a hand slammed across his face. Blinking away the tears that burned his eyes, he looked back up at the older man, whose monstrous face darkened so that it was barely recognizable. The young child was barely able to register the warmth spreading in his cheeks from the blow when his father grabbed the collar of his t-shirt and threw him against the fridge behind him._

_The light over head burst into fireworks as Derek's head cracked from the impact. Feeling nauseous and pain, he raised his head weakly to see Zachary Cain sneering in disgust. "Don't you _ever_ call me that word. You are no son of mine, you hear me?!" he spat as the young boy nodded, stunned beyond words. "Now clean this up."_

_Turning on his heel, the man stormed out of the kitchen and slammed the master bedroom's door closed. Derek sat there on the floor as the night's events replayed themselves. Zachary Cain, who had never raised his hand against his son, had finally done it. There was no Adrienne to stop him this time. It was another excruciating reminder of what was missing._

_Finally, after the shock wore off, Derek grabbed a rag from the bathroom, stopping by the cracked mirror as he saw the signs of an ugly bruise forming on his cheek. Fingering it lightly, he winced at the memory of being struck. And the words that were said after. "If I have no father, then who do I have?" he whispered to his reflection._

_The months flew by as the two of them continued to share living quarters. Ever since the incident, Derek had been wary of the older man's presence and once again, did his best to keep out of his way. But every now and then, it was unavoidable that they would meet. And depending on Zachary Cain's mood, sometimes Derek got away with yelling from the man. Other times, the young boy came back with bruises over his body._

_With each beating that he took, Derek's hatred of the other man amplified. He knew that Zachary Cain was no more than a bully, who preyed on the weak, but there wasn't anything else he could do. This was the only life the boy knew of. However, one day, that all changed._

_Derek had finished his shower when he heard a muffled sound. Quickly, he towelled himself dry and pulled on a pair of pants before opening the door. Heart pounding, he glanced at the dark living room, where the noise had come from. His neighbourhood wasn't a great one, and he knew that breaking and entering was a common case around the area, but had someone gotten inside? Derek gulped, wondering whether or not it'd be wise to step outside to discover the truth_

_As he inched further outside, a familiar groan came from the darkened room. The boy breathed in relief; it was only Zachary Cain. Slipping out of the bathroom, Derek wrinkled his nose in disgust as the stench of alcohol weaved through the air. He didn't understand how something that smelled so foul could be enjoyable_

"_You... boy..." the older man's voice croaked and Derek hesitated._

_Was it safe to proceed any further? It was obvious that his so-called father was drunk. And often enough, the older man was in a terrible mood when he wasn't in his right state of mind. But at the same time, Derek had been addressed directly. It would only make Zachary Cain madder if he didn't come. Taking a deep breath, the boy ventured further into the room. "What is it?"_

_As he stepped into the moonlight, he could see the paleness of his father's face as well as his bloodshot eyes. With a scruffy stubble, the older man had looked as though he had gone a few days without a proper shave. Not only that, but it was evident that he also didn't bother to shower in the past little while either. He reeked of the ghastly fluid and he staggered, as though unable to find his balance."It's alllll yer fault," he slurred as he pointed at Derek with a hand that held a nearly empty beer bottle. "She died because of ya... Adrienne did."_

_Derek felt the shard of truth bury itself into his heart as the words hit home. He stepped back, feeling smaller than ever. "I-it was an accid-," he whispered as his father advanced on him, his eyes flashing with anger._

_Zachary Cain cocked his head as he leered at the boy. "Shuddup you worthless shit. You shoulda died with her. But you're still here. You disgust me," he hissed._

_Then without warning, he brought the bottle down on the corner table and Derek flinched as the glass broke, showering the carpet with tiny shards. All of a sudden, a feeling of fear settled in the bottom of Derek's stomach as his father advanced on him, the broken bottle still held in his grip. With every instinct telling him that he was in danger, Derek spun on his heel, taking off as soon as his brain registered what the older man was about to do. However, no later had he moved did he feel the contact of the jagged edge of glass digging into his bare flesh as Zachary Cain slashed his son with his weapon._

_Derek let out a scream of pain as he felt the cold sensation spread throughout his body like ice. Tears burned his eyes as he scrambled away from his father, each movement bringing out a whimper from the child. Zachary Cain smirked as he side stepped the crumpled heap of a boy on the floor and slammed the main door closed behind him, enveloping Derek in darkness once again._

_With shaking fingers, he reached behind him and lightly touched his back. As soon as they came into contact with something wet, he withdrew his fingers to find them sticky with blood. Taking a few shuddering breaths, Derek crawled towards the bathroom, whose light lit the hallway. Dragging himself into the room, he shut it behind him as he glanced back at the mirror to see the damage. The boy choked back a sob when he saw the angry wounds covering his back. Not to mention how much blood there was._

_Reaching for a rag, Derek began to clean his injuries. Each time the material brushed over the open wound, he stifled a cry of pain. It hurt. It hurt _so_ badly. While the last thing he wanted was to feel any more pain, he also knew that he was still bleeding and he had to bandage it as soon as he could. _

_Derek swallowed as he tried to calm himself down. All it needed was one swift motion. At last, when the tears had slowed, the boy gritted his teeth as he reached behind him and wiped away more and more blood with each stroke. A cry of agony filled the room as he collapsed onto the bathroom floor, his tear-streaked face lying against the cool tile. Breathing heavily, he eyed the bloody rag and released it slowly._

_Again and again, he repeated the motion until most of the blood on his back was gone. By the time he rinsed the cloth, the water was stained pink with his blood. Climbing onto the step stool, Derek reached up and grabbed the first aid kit that Adrienne had used whenever the boy suffered a scrape._

_Inside, there were various bandaging instruments, some he had no idea how to use. But fingering the long roll of gauzy material, Derek knew that he had to prevent his injuries from being infected._

_After several failed attempts to bandage the open gash upon his back, Derek finally settled for wrapping his entire upper chest with the cloth. Exhausted from his efforts, the boy trudged back into his room, ready to fall into oblivion. However, while he doubted that Zachary Cain would bother him again so soon, he wasn't going to take that chance. Locking the door behind him, Derek collapsed onto his bed, careful to lie on his front. Just before he drifted off to sleep, the boy finally made the decision that would change everything._

_He was going to leave this life._

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><p><strong>AN: So you guys may be wondering why I decided to do a flashback in third person limited omniscient. Derek's not actually saying every little detail here (he's not that talkative), but as he's telling the story, Chloe kind of sees it as a movie in her mind. That is why there was a bit of detail regarding Derek's mother here instead of having Derek just say, "I had an abusive father." I had to change some of the flashback a few times because I'm a crappy plotter and it didn't make sense, so I'm hoping it does now... to some extent at the very least. Like the chapter title implies, there's a second part to the story regarding what Derek does from that point. Originally, I was going to have Derek's past done in all one chapter, but it would have been way too long as a single chapter (my beta-readers says I'm wordy and that it's killing the story), so I broke it into two chapters. The next chapter's flashback won't be as long as the one here, but it'll be interesting to read (I hope). Anyway, please look forward to the next one! (I'll do my best to update as soon as I can, because I had originally planned for at least 2 chapters before school started, but ran into some plot complications)  
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	25. His Past pt II

**A/N: Hi guys! It's been more than a month since my last update and I apologize for lack of update since then. University school work isn't fun and I'd give anything to go back to high school. But that's not happening so I need to deal with it myself. I really loved reading everyone's thoughts on the last chapter and I'm ecstatic that you loved it! Anyway, here's the second and last part of Derek's past.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 25: His Past pt. II<strong>

I stared up at him wordlessly as I processed his words. If his face wasn't as serious and pained as it was, I would have thought that it was merely a storyboard for a traumatic movie. It was impossible to believe that he had such a painful past at such an early age. Losing his mom was bad enough. I had been through the same thing at a similar age, so I certainly knew the feeling. But the rest of it? Being struck again and again by an abusive parent?

I suppressed a shudder of fear and repulsion. The worst I could say about my dad was that he wasn't home often enough and that sometimes, I got the feeling that he didn't quite know what to do with me, his wife's baby, but I never denied that he loved me.

Whenever he could, I was his first priority, and that was enough. However, Derek's dad didn't care about his son at all; my roommate's scars were the proof of that.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Swallowing, I tried again. "W-what did you do?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

Derek glanced out the window, his face tight with emotion. "At the time, there didn't seem to be a choice. I _had_ to leave. If I stayed, my father may have ended up killing me in one of his drunken rages," he answered. "Because of that reason, I waited until I was sure that he was gone before I got my stuff together and left."

. . . . . . . . . .

(Nearly eleven years into the past)

_The dark haired boy stood on the cracked sidewalk as he glanced back at the broken house, his home for the past five years. A feeling of unease and worry settled in the pit of his stomach as he readjusted his grip on the strap of his backpack, which contained the pieces of his life put together._

_His sack was originally planned to be used for school, but after his mother's death, the idea of school belonged to a different Derek, one whose world was still intact. Inside, it contained the bare essentials: several layers of clothing, some food, a photograph of him and his mother that he had taken from the living room, some bandages and finally, some money. After digging in the master bedroom, Derek had found some crumpled bills that were hidden under the moth-eaten mattress. In the dresser, he had also found a small chest that the boy had seen his mother put their emergency funds in. Although Derek had felt the initial jolt of guilt from taking the money, he decided that he would probably need it more than his father would._

_Derek looked back to the long dirty road ahead of him and swallowed thickly. He didn't know how long he would be living on the streets nor what it would be like. Only that it wasn't going to be easy. However, he decided, it would surely be better than living under Zachary Cain's roof. Taking a deep breath, the child shifted his hold on his backpack and started down the endless road without another glance back._

_On his rare outings, Derek had formed a visual map of the area and with it, he travelled away from the residential area. He lived in a run down neighbourhood in one of the poorest areas in the city, but that __fact only made it easier for him to disappear. Runaways weren't uncommon, but neither were the patrolling officers who often did a survey of the area, gathering information and trying to prevent the rising number of crimes committed. Despite his young age, the boy knew that he had to steer clear of the law enforcers because without a doubt, they would bring him back to his father. _

_Derek walked continuously for most of the day, wanting to put distance between himself and his old home. He only stopped for small breaks to rest his tired and inexperienced feet, who weren't used to the strain of walking for long distances._

_As the sun lowered itself with every moment, the young child knew that it was time to find a place to rest. While he wasn't out of one of the poorest districts, he was relatively safe in the daytime. At night, it was a different story. Most people would return home, but for many others, it was the opposite. Derek had heard enough stories from the news of drug dealers, gang fights and other mishaps that took place in the dark. And he wasn't going to be caught in the middle of one._

_Derek wrinkled his nose in disgust as he passed an alley, where trash had spilled out onto the streets and the homeless who scavenged through them for goods. However, as he glimpsed the ragged clothing that hung loosely upon the unwashed man, the boy realized with a twist of his gut that this was the life that he had to get used to. Before long, he wasn't going to be any better off._

_He looked up at the darkening sky and hurried on, looking around for a safe place to spend the night. By this time, most of the commercial buildings had closed for the day and shadowy figures began to appear. Derek's heart began to race as they huddled in groups, their hopelessness wafting through the air._

_Turning on his heel, Derek retreated back to a small playground that he had spotted earlier. While it wasn't the greatest spot, he was left with no other alternative as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon. Tomorrow, he would start earlier to find a place to stay._

_The old playground had definitely seen better days. Even with the dim light that was cast by the streetlamps, the peeling paint was evident on the metal monkey bars. Creative graffiti decorated the plastic slide, bearing the signature of the artist. Despite its dilapidated state, the park provided many hiding places, with tall trees casting shadows upon the jungle gym. "This will have to do for now," the boy murmured to himself as he dragged his backpack to the small plastic tunnel where children loved to run through._

_As soon as he slipped into the cylinder of enclosed material, the chill of the wind subsided to a minimal level. It was early spring, but after the sun went down, the temperatures dropped substantially. Derek zipped his jacket to the highest it would go and suppressed a shiver. Would it be like this everyday? Moving from place to place? Where was there to go? A clutter of doubts filled his head. He had some food with him and he did have money, but what would he do after they ran out?_

_An image of the elderly homeless man climbing through the piles of trash flickered in his mind. Was he going to end up like him? Desperately trying to find any way to survive? Derek sniffed as tears blurred his vision. If only his mother was still around. She would have taken care of him, the way she was supposed to. But instead, she left him behind. He was just a kid and now he was all alone._

_As he shivered in the cold, he tried not to think about his bed, where it was warm and soft. It wasn't too late; he could always return home. Although it was a piece of trash, the walls of his house protected __him from the elements. _Maybe that person had overreacted last night_, the boy thought. But a gut feeling said that he was wrong. Sooner or later, his so-called father would end up killing him. The pain that shot up his back each time he leaned against the cold hard plastic was proof of that. He was better off out here than in there. _

_The child rubbed his eyes, trying to grab a hold of his emotions. He couldn't afford to be weak especially when weakness on the streets was like a drop of blood in the ocean filled with sharks. Derek knew he had to toughen up._

_Sleep came easily to him after a long exhausting day of being on his feet. And he dreamed of better times that he would have given anything to go back to._

_In the morning, the boy ignored the ache in his back from sleeping on the cold hard material and got his belongings together. Spotting a restroom a few meters away, he trekked gratefully towards it, as with the previous day, he had to resort to creative methods of taking care of his bodily needs. However, as Derek approached the public washroom, he was dismayed to see that it was locked for the off-season. Not to mention that it was heavily tagged by graffiti. Suppressing a sigh, he gave the lock another glower before making his way back onto the streets._

_The sun had risen up overhead but it was still cold for the morning and Derek hunched his shoulders against the bitter wind. He walked until he spotted a familiar fast food restaurant with golden arches. Seeing something that he recognized sparked a feeling of nostalgia as he remembered the times where his mom would take him for a burger after a trip to the library. Without intention, the boy realized that he was already walking towards the restaurant._

_He was greeted by the smell of eggs and fried bacon and felt his stomach rumble in response. Derek had eaten a granola bar on his walk but now it seemed as though he had not ingested anything at all. He swallowed thickly as he watched people walk around, with their trays full of food. Everything looked so good. Maybe he could... _No._ Derek thought firmly as he marched past them towards where the washrooms were located. The handful of bills in his pockets weren't going to last long and he needed to hold onto them for as long as he could._

_Fortunately, the washrooms turned out to be one-person rooms, so after locking the door behind him, Derek washed up as best as he could. He washed his hair in the tiny sink and rubbed hand soap into his scalp. They weren't the best, but under the circumstances, any soap was better than none. _

_Next, he took care of his now-dirty bandages. Biting his tongue until he tasted the rusty sensation of blood, Derek held back a small hiss of pain as he washed his injured back as best as he could. The wounds were still raw, crisscrossing with angry red lines all over his backside. The healing process would be faster if he could go to a hospital, but the boy knew that that wasn't an option. Not only were they expensive and the people who worked there would want to know why he was alone, but hospitals triggered an awful memory for him. After all, his mother died there._

_Like before, Derek took the roll and wrapped it around his entire upper torso before knotting it on the side. Then he looked down at the mess of bloodied bandages that laid at his feet and frowned. Was it safe to just throw them in the trash can here? Or would it trigger an alarm for the next person who would use this bathroom? Without a further thought, Derek scooped up the pile and tossed them into his backpack to throw out later. Once he was done, he turned on the hand dryer and let the warm air ruffle his wet hair._

_As he glimpsed himself in the mirror, Derek noticed that his hair was much longer now, his bangs were overgrown and the rest was untidy. It was another reminder of how much time had passed since his mother's death. Before long, he would be a year older since the incident._

_He tore his gaze away from the mirror, gathered his things and stormed out of the restaurant before his taste buds and stomach could betray him._

_Life on the streets was difficult for the young child. A few days after he had left home, his meagre food supply ran out and he was forced to use the money that he had taken from his father. Whenever he went into a convenience store or a supermarket, concerned cashiers and staff would look down at the basket of food and ask about his absent parents, but before long, the answers he came up with became automatic._

"_My mom can't find parking so she sent me inside with her grocery list."_

"_My dad saw a friend outside and wanted to talk longer, so I offered to get everything that we needed... as long as I get to pick something."_

"_My parents sent me on an errand while they're waiting in the car."_

_Although they weren't perfect excuses, the employees didn't question him after that. And knowing that he could only push his luck so far, Derek avoided going to the same place too many times or else there was a chance that someone might just wonder why a 5 and a half year old child was never seen with parents._

_After many days of endless walking, Derek finally reached the border that divided the poorest area of town from the rest of it. The difference was almost comical as he gawked up at the spotless buildings that seemed to reach forever into the sky. The walls were free of graffiti and business men and women walked on both sides of the street, too busy looking at small devices in their hands to look around them. The boy stared in wonder at the scenery in front of him as he dragged his backpack along. Then all of a sudden, a loud beep blared in his ear and Derek's gaze flew to the irritated driver behind a sleek black car._

"_Get off the road, kid!" he yelled through the open window._

_The boy blinked as he took in his surroundings and realized that he had wandered onto the street rather than the sidewalk. "Sorry!" he said quickly as he jogged to the side and let the driver with the fancy car go through._

_As the car drove past him, Derek gaped at the vehicle. On his side of town, he had never seen one that wasn't broken down in some way. But here, everything looked new._

_He had only been through this side of town once and that was the day of his mother's funeral, so he had not paid any attention to his surroundings, but now, he felt a spark of excitement at exploring the area with his new found freedom. A small smile tugged on the boy's lips for the first time in months as he readjusted his grip on his backpack and dragged it alongside him as he went to examine his new neighbourhood._

_Countless shops and their elegant glass display windows passed by as the boy wished he had a few more pairs of eyes to look at everything around him. There were also a lot of people walking about. Most were in a hurry, but Derek couldn't quite get the hang of seeing everyone in posh and clean clothing. _

_It made him feel a little inferior with his own attire. During the past few months since Adrienne had passed away, he had grown and now the pants that were once too long dangled a few inches too short. Sleeping wherever he could left them dirty and unwashed. Some of the threads were even starting to unravel at his knees. Although the boy was very aware of his dishevelled appearance, there wasn't any money to spare on clothing. Each day, his pockets felt lighter and lighter and he was constantly worried about trying to make it last._

_As he walked, lost in his thoughts, something caught his eye and the boy stopped, frowning in confusion. Glancing around for what had diverted his attention, his eyes landed on a very modern building that was several floors high. It wasn't that much different from the others that he was rendered uncertain as to why this particular structure had stood out. But as he walked closer, the words above the main door grew clearer. It read:_

_'White Cedar Valley Public Library'_

_Derek blinked as a feeling of nostalgia flooded his memories of endless afternoons spent on the floor reading books on just about anything. Without intention, his body began moving on its own accord towards the large set of glass doors._

_With a whoosh, they opened without warning and the boy stepped back in surprise as he regarded the door with a stunned expression. He had only walked up to it and yet they opened without further assistance on his part. As a sigh of warm air brushed against his face in contrast to the cool wind outside, Derek directed his attention to what lay behind the open doors._

_Unlike the meagre library he had often frequented, this one had rows upon rows of books that never seemed to end. The crisp smell of paper greeted him like an old friend as he stepped into the lobby, his mind spinning with endless possibilities. A young librarian met his eye and smiled at him warmly. "Hello there, is there something you are looking for in particular?" she asked._

"_Um..." the boy searched his mind for something to ask. "Do you know where the... science section is?"_

_She nodded and rose. "The non-fiction section for children can be found on this floor. Just keep walking until you see the spiral staircase and turn right."_

_Derek mumbled his thanks and followed her directions until he saw a very cheerful sign that welcomed him into the kids' area. Moving past the picture books and children graphic novels, he finally found what he had been looking for: a whole section on astronomy. Like everything else, it surpassed what he was used to in his old library. There was a whole self dedicated to the galaxy and beyond and shortly after, Derek found himself grabbing as many books as his arms could carry and settled happily into a bean chair._

_His body sank into plush seat and he almost sighed in contentment. Sleeping on the cold ground for the past two weeks had taken its toll and he was grateful for the change. In fact, as excited as he was about getting a chance to read what this library had to offer, his exhaustion caught up to him and soon he fell asleep._

_Hours later, he was woken up by a string of shrieks and laughter nearby and he sprang forward, every muscle on alert. Eyes darting from side to side for any danger, Derek felt himself relax as he realized that he was still in the library rather than on the streets. Peeking around a bookshelf, he saw that the noise was created by a bunch of children his age who were listening to the young librarian tell a story. All around them, parents sat with them as they encouraged their kids' reactions at each appropriate point from the tale._

_One mom in particular allowed her young son to lean back against her and she placed her chin lightly on his head. Her eyes showed warmth and love for her son as he giggled with the other children. Seeing them reminded Derek of the countless afternoons he had spent reading with his mom in a similar position. His heart felt as though someone had squeezed it and he quickly backed away from the bookshelf, breathing hard and fast. As the boy thought about his own mother, a surge of panic struck him as he suddenly couldn't remember what Adrienne had looked like. In his thoughts of his past, her face was blurred._

_Derek froze as he struggled to piece together his memories. He would _not_ forget. He couldn't. Taking deep breaths to slow his beating heart, he was then calm enough to remember that he had taken the photo from his home. Forcing the zipper of his backpack open, Derek reached inside and felt around for the familiar feel of paper and took it out to examine it._

_In the picture, he was nearly unrecognizable from his current state. Not only was he younger, but there was a light in his eyes that had been missing ever since Adrienne's death. Turning his gaze towards the woman beside him, Derek felt a jolt of longing as he looked at his mother's face. Dark locks of hair surrounded her heart shaped face and her pale blue eyes reflected her smile as the two of them posed for the camera. It had been taken during happier times._

_Derek continued to stare at the photo until a shadow blocked out the dimming sunlight overhead. He glanced up to see the young librarian from earlier and he hastily shoved the photo back into his backpack. All around them, he could hear the library emptying out for the day as parents and their children headed home. "I didn't realize that you were still here," said the librarian._

_The boy nodded, not knowing what to say. He hoped that she would get the feeling that he wanted to be alone, but instead, she bent down in front of him so they were looking at eye level with each other. "Do you go to school?"_

_Derek shook his head. "Home schooled," he mumbled._

_It was true, he _was_ home schooled. Just not anymore. The lady nodded in understanding. "I was home schooled too when I was younger. I'm guessing your parents dropped you off in the library to do work. That's what mine always did." The librarian went on as the boy said nothing in return. "Anyway, it's time for us to close, so is there someone who will pick you up?"_

"_Yeah," he lied as his eyes darted to the clock hanging off the wall nearby. "My mom will be here in five minutes." And with that, he began to stack together his unread books._

_The older woman eyed his books with curiosity. "Would you like to check those out? I can do that if you want," she offered but Derek shook his head again. "Oh okay. You don't need to worry about putting them back. I got it."_

"_Thank you," said the boy as he grabbed his backpack by the strap and started towards the main entrance._

_Just before he left, he glanced back at the librarian who freed an arm from the bundle of books and waved at him. After a moment's hesitation, he waved back and walked into the darkening evening. Unsure of whether or not anyone was watching him, Derek veered towards the parking lot as though he was waiting to be picked up and then made a left._

_The streetlamps overhead were starting to turn on and their pale yellow light illuminated the otherwise dark sidewalk. As soon as he was out of sight from the front entrance, Derek's pace slowed as he glanced around him for a place to spend the night. From his first night out on the streets, he had learned that he needed to seek shelter before it got dark but his unexpected nap had thrown a wrench into his plans. He was in the commercial area, where there weren't as many hiding places as he would have liked. If someone found a kid sleeping on the streets, it would raise alarms and he couldn't afford to be caught._

_After walking for another few blocks, Derek found a back alleyway behind a row of stores that was filled with dumpsters and stacks of flattened cardboard boxes. It wasn't the ideal hiding spot, but at the very least, he would be hidden from the public. Lifting the lid of the nearest trash bin, the boy exhaled in relief at the sight of shredded paper. There weren't any restaurants nearby so he could avoid smelling like someone's rotten fish for the next few days._

_He pulled some of the cardboard closer to the wall, hidden behind the dumpster and made himself at home. Reaching into his ragged backpack, the boy pulled out a cold sandwich that he had gotten earlier and ate it hungrily before settling down for the night._

_What felt like a few hours later, Derek stirred at the sound of a metal clang and groaned at the stiffness in his body. The cardboard provided very little comfort against the ground and he began to long for the softness of an actual chair. Not to mention some place where the wind wasn't blowing around him. He tucked his legs closer to his body, trying to keep warm when he heard footsteps approach._

"_What the hell?" a gravely voice rumbled as Derek's mind registered that the sound was directed at him._

_The young boy's eyes snapped open to see a large man in his forties with an unshaven beard peer down at him, a smoking cigarette in one hand. The older man's mouth opened again, but Derek barely heard him over the harsh pounding of his heart. He had been seen. The man took a step forward and Derek scuttled back until he hit another dumpster, the impact barely making him wince._

_The man raised two hands, palms facing the boy as though he was a scared animal. "Whoa there. I'm not gonna hurt you, kid, but why are you sleeping here and not at home with mom and dad?" he asked as Derek stared up at him with wide eyes._

_When the boy didn't answer, the older man took a breath from his cigarette and sighed. "You're a small squirt to be out on your own, so why don't you just come with me and I can make some calls to see if I can bring you back to where you belong," he suggested as he took another step forward and held out his hand._

_Alarm bells rang out in the child's head as visions of a towering man with shoulders as wide as a doorway loomed over him, a broken beer bottle in hand. Sucking in a quick breath, Derek grabbed his backpack and shot past the surprised man and onto the open street._

"_Hey! Come back here!"_

_Derek ran, ignoring the shouts of the older man racing behind him. He couldn't be caught. There was absolutely _no_ way he was going back _there_. His breath chugged like locomotive and every one of his footsteps sounded like gunfire to his ears, but he knew that no what, he couldn't stop. Not even if his heart pounded so furiously that it felt as though it would explode._

_The boy zigzagged through the alleys, never looking back to see if he was still being chased. If he screwed up, it was over. So he kept running and running until his legs gave out on him and he collapsed onto the dusty ground, his lungs screaming for air. Derek glanced behind him for the man, but he was no where to be found. Panting heavily, a feeling of relief filled him like nothing else could as he crawled over to the wall and slumped down to regain his breath. He was safe._

_After being nearly caught, Derek took greater care in sleeping in safer areas, making sure that he never slept in the same place more than a night at a time. However, he continued to spend his spring afternoons in the library, happily catching up on all the reading time that he had missed in the past few months. It soon became a routine; he would read and nap until he was interrupted by the squeals of children and the cooing of their parents at story time. And each time, the pit of emotion grew whenever he witnessed the families sitting together, the perfect picture of serenity._

_It was at those moments that he felt truly alone. His father couldn't care less whether or not he lived, and his mother was gone. There was no one he could turn to. During the day, he had distractions to keep his mind off his loneliness, but at night, when he closed his eyes, he could almost feel the lingering warmth of what used to be his life. _

_The more he thought about Adrienne, the more he longed to see her. A few days after he first arrived in the city, the boy had thought about visiting his mother, but every time he considered it, a painful stream of memories flooded his mind. The paleness of her skin as she laid in her coffin with her sleek raven black hair fanning out beneath her. Her posture as she faced eternal rest. The burial of her body. And the words that were engraved on her gravestone that finalized the end of her life._

_But after a week in the new city, the pain lessened to a dull ache in his heart. And even if it was only for a moment, the boy didn't want to be alone. So he decided that it was time he visited her._

_His initial problem was finding out where the cemetery was located but with a quick glance at the city map from the reference section, he discovered that there was only one in the area. The next issue was getting there. At his young age, there was no possible way to get a bus ride without a chaperone, so that possibility was gone. Derek couldn't hitch a ride either, not that he knew how to without being caught. So that only left one choice: walking._

_The next few days were spent on his hike towards the city's only cemetery. With each step, Derek felt anxious at the idea of seeing his mother's grave for the first time since the funeral. Visiting her in a graveyard made it all real. While the boy knew his mother was dead, there were times where he could pretend that everything was just a bad dream. A nightmare that he could simply wake up from. But now, he couldn't even use that excuse. Still, now that he made his mind up, there was no going back._

_On the way up, Derek hovered outside a flower shop, wondering if he should buy flowers to place on the grave, like he had seen others do on the day of the funeral. It seemed like a good idea, but everyday, what little money he had was starting to disappear. Stealing was always an option. There were even unguarded buckets filled with various types of flowers. According to their signs, there were lilies, roses, orchids, daisies and many more. All he had to do was to take one. He _had _stolen before. Back when he was little more than a toddler, on a grocery trip with his mother, he had taken a piece of candy and slipped it into his pockets. However, as soon as Adrienne had found out, she took him back and paid for it despite their low income. Afterwards, she made him promise that he wouldn't steal again unless it was absolutely necessary._

_Derek glanced down at the flowers again, a bitter taste in the back of his mouth as he turned away from the shop. Even if he thought it was important to lay down some flowers for his mother, she definitely wouldn't have approved of his actions. So he left empty-handed._

_A few paces later, as he trekked towards the cemetery, the boy was rewarded with a small field nearby that was covered in wild flowers and weeds. At first glance, Derek could point out a large number of yellow dandelions, white clovers and thistles, the type of plants that people normally considered as pests. But on the contrary, as the young child crouched in front of a dandelion plant, he could remember picking bundles of the vegetation from the backyard and presenting them to his mother as a gift. She had smiled and loved the present despite its simplicity._

_Without hesitation, Derek gathered a handful of the plant and tied them together with a piece of grass, the way Adrienne had shown him. Then he headed to the cemetery._

_It was early in the day so Derek was glad for the small number of mourners in the area. It meant that he was less likely to be questioned for visiting without a chaperone. It took him a while, going through the numerous graves, but eventually, he found the one that he had been looking for. Heart thumping against his rib cage, the boy swallowed nervously and sat down crossed-legged in front of the marked grave._

_Resting against the grave marker laid a generous bouquet of delicate white flowers. And they seemed fresh, indicating that Adrienne had had another visitor before him. Derek laid his dandelions next to the elegant arrangement of flowers. Comparing the two, his own seemed inadequate, but Derek squashed those feelings as soon as they came. It had taken him long enough to gather his courage to come up here and he wouldn't let an expensive bunch of flowers ruin it for him. He looked at the tombstone again, wondering if his mom knew that he was here. Down the rows, he had seen grievers talk to seemingly thin air and it seemed rather stupid, but now that he was in front of his mother's grave, it didn't seem too farfetched to think that perhaps her ghost was lingering nearby. If so, he wanted to talk to her, even if it was only going to be one-sided._

_And so, the boy took a deep breath and launched into his story._

_By the time he was done, his entire being felt lighter, as though someone had taken an enormous weight off his tiny shoulders. Everything that he had been through in the past few months had spilled out of him like the water being squeezed out of a sponge. Even though his mother wasn't with him physically, at that moment, Derek didn't feel as alone as he had felt ever since her death. Being near her was so comforting that before he realized it, the boy started to drift off. _

_Derek was woken up by someone shaking his shoulders and as soon as his eyes snapped open, he looked up at a man who was regarding him in concern. A shimmer of fear rippled through him as he realized that he had been caught sleeping in a graveyard. There was no way to get out of this one. It was over; he was going to be sent back to-_

"_Derek?"_

_The boy's attention flew to the stranger's face, surprise and suspicion in place. No, not a stranger; he knew that man. But despite the familiarity of the older man's expression, he couldn't place where he had seen it. And yet this person knew his name._

_As Derek furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, the other man's face softened into a smile. "You don't remember me, do you?" he asked, his voice amused._

_The boy shook his head slowly, the feeling of dread slowly fading away. It didn't seem that the man was going to harm him, but he knew he had to be careful. "I know you, but I don't know why," he murmured softly._

_The stranger let out a laugh, the sound catching the child off guard. "Well, I guess that's better than my own boy, Simon, who can't seem to remember his own age sometimes," he chuckled. Then his smile slid slowly off his face as a more serious expression replaced it. "My name is Kit. We first met in this exact cemetery."_

_Derek frowned as he sorted through his hazy memories. The only other time he had been here was during the funeral. Then it hit him. "You're my mom's friend," he pointed out as the man-known-as-Kit nodded. As soon as the revelation sunk in, Derek grew wary of him again. "What are you doing here?"_

_Kit exhaled deeply as he sat down crossed-legged in front of the boy, not caring about the state of his expensive dress pants. "I've been looking for you, Derek."_

_At the words, the young child's eyes widened as his heart beat sped up. He scurried away from Kit, his muscles ready to bolt. "Y-you're taking me back, aren't you?"_

_Kit raised two hands, palms facing the boy. "Please listen to me. I'm not going to hurt you. If you don't want to go back, I won't make you. Besides, that wasn't what I had in mind in the first place," he reassured him._

_Still suspicious, the boy eyed Kit with caution as he slowly sat back down despite every inch of him that wanted to run away. "Then why are you here? How did you find me?"_

"_About a week ago, I was passing through this city on my way home from working with a client when I decided to stop by and see how you were doing. However, as soon as I got to your house, I had a bad feeling. And your father confirmed it when he said that you took off. I knew that I had to find you somehow. I then left my son in the care of his grandparents and I stayed in this city. I spent my waking hours going through out your neighbourhood until I realized that maybe you would come here, to your mother's grave. So I've been coming here twice a day to see if I was right."_

_Derek remained quiet as he thought about the home and the life that he had left behind. "My father... he doesn't care about me, doesn't he?" the boy whispered._

_Kit's face softened into one of sympathy. "Derek..."_

_Derek shrugged. "It's okay. He never liked me, just like I never liked him. I had to get away," he admitted as he raised his gaze to look Kit in the eye. "And I'm never going back."_

_The older man gave a slow, sad nod. "I know. But what are you going to do with your life? Live on the streets forever?" he questioned._

_The boy said nothing as he studied his dirtied shoes. He had thought about what would happen to him and it was far from what he wanted, but hearing his thoughts voiced out loud by a near stranger was less than satisfying. A surge of anger filled his small body. "What do _you_ think I should do? There's no where I can go!"_

_Derek expected Kit to be mad and disappointed with his time wasted on finding a boy that didn't want to be found, but to his astonishment, the older man smiled, his warm brown eyes sparkling. "I know of a place where you can go. For as long as you want."_

_The boy scowled as he thought Kit was mocking him. "You're lying."_

_Kit shook his head, his smile still in place. "Nope. In fact, I was wondering if you'd like to live with Simon and me. As my son," he said._

_Derek stared at the man with disbelief. Why would anyone want a kid like him for? A dirty kid at that. He was used to being unwanted by his father that it was hard to believe that there wasn't an ulterior motive. Unless Kit wanted a target to vent his anger on. However, whenever he talked about his own son, there was warmth and pride in his eyes, which reminded the boy of the same love on his mother's face._

_He needed to feel wanted. Not as a punching bag, but as a human being. Looking into Kit's eyes, the boy knew that he had been offered another chance at life. And maybe someday, Kit would have the same fondness in his expression whenever he thought about him. _

_So when the older man held out his hand, the boy took it._

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><p><strong>AN: Truthfully, I had a bit of a hard time describing Derek's time on the streets, so I hope that what I wrote seemed alright. There were some moments where I could really feel the emotion behind Derek's character and I hope you were able to as well. Wow, only about 5 more chapters to go. I can't believe I'm nearly done! I have another DP fanfic in mind, but it's still in the early stages so that won't be happening until after this fanfic has finished and that I've taken a few months' worth of a break from writing. Anyway, the next chapter should be a lot of fun to write about as I've been constantly plotting it during this chapter. Just to spoil you guys just a bit, I'll let you know that it involves an unofficial date between our favorite pairing!**_  
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**Again, it's hard to believe that I got this far with this fanfic. And I couldn't have done it without all of you amazing people! So once again, I express my undying gratitude to my readers and reviewers! (in no particular order...):  
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	26. The Unofficial Date

**A/N: Hey guys! It's been a month and a bit since the last update and I can't apologize enough for the delay. I used to think that time passed by way too slowly, but now, it's too fast. My semester is nearly over and it's been pretty hectic in terms of midterms and assignments. But it'll be over soon in a month. However, that means finals. Just lovely. But you guys' support definitely keeps my spirits up so I thank you all so much for that.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 26: The Unofficial Date<strong>

Derek glanced out the window, the look on his face distant. "When I first went to live with my dad and Simon, I was constantly worried that I would do something wrong and that they would decide that I was too much trouble and bring me back. But it never happened," he murmured softly. "Simon treated me like a blood brother and Dad... he was great. He was everything that I could have ever asked for in a father."

The corners of his mouth lifted into a small smile. "Dad was absolutely furious and disgusted when he found my scars. He wanted to press charges against Zach for child abuse..."

"But?"

"...but I didn't go through with it."

I frowned in confusion. "Why?" I questioned. _After everything _that_ man did to him... how could he not?_

Derek's smile faded as a flicker of grief flashed across his features, making him look so much older than his seventeen years. "Zach... he was suffering too. He lost the one person he loved most in the world and he didn't know how to move on," he murmured. "Not that that makes it okay, but I can understand him a little. He was a rotten asshole, but I didn't think that my mom would have wanted him to waste his life in a cell either. Not that _that_ makes a difference considering he still died."

Staring at my roommate, my mouth dropped slightly open in shock. "H-he-?"

"Yeah. Overdosed. I didn't even know that he was doing drugs at that time," Derek mumbled as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "Dad told me when he found out. But I didn't know what to feel. Sad? Relieved? I was just an empty shell and somehow that felt worse than feeling something."

I blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears in my eyes from escaping. He had been through so much at that age. When I thought about how lonely he must have been, it triggered an onset of emotions. I hated the man that I had never met. Derek had suffered because of him. How could anyone do that to a little boy? I wasn't so naive to believe that we lived in a perfect world, but still... I gritted my teeth as I thought of Derek's permanent scars and felt a fresh wave of anger. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Derek," I whispered as my roommate turned to face me.

As he opened his mouth to reply, he took a good look at me and his eyes widened in genuine surprise. "You're crying," Derek said softly as I hastily wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

"It's all his fault," I hissed. "You did nothing wrong and yet-"

I couldn't even finish the sentence when another furious tear slipped down my cheek. I sniffled as I dropped my gaze to the carpeted floor, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. I was born into a loving family and my parents never raised a hand against me. Instead, they showered me with warm hugs and kisses. I never had to worry about a food shortage or whether or not I would ever end up on the streets. So how dare I cry about a situation that I had never been in? I had no right.

As I wiped away more tears, I felt warm hands wrap around me and crush me gently against a solid body. I let out a small squeak of surprise at the sudden contact and froze. Up close, I could smell the familiar scent of Derek's laundry detergent on his worn t-shirt as well as the strong steady beat of his heart against my ear. "D-derek?" I stammered.

His voice was so low that I barely caught it. "Thank you," he breathed against the top of my head.

I blinked in confusion. "W-w-what for?"

"Crying. And getting mad. No one has done that before."

"You mean no one has gotten mad at you before?"

A small laugh that made my heart race. "Nah. I think I've lost count of _that_. I meant that it's the first time that someone, other than my dad and Simon, got mad for me. So, thank you."

Hearing the smile behind his words brought one out from me too. I wrapped my arms around him as I returned his embrace. When he released me, his fingers trailed slowly from my side, evoking a fluttery feeling in my stomach. Derek looked down at me, his face over mine. Slowly, he bent forward and-

A cacophonous knock at the door made us jump apart.

"Morning! You guys ready yet?" Simon hollered from the hallway. "I'm starving!"

I breathed quickly, my heart beating like crazy after being jump-started by Derek's brother. I was barely aware that Derek had opened the door to an impatient-looking Simon. "We'll meet you there," my roommate grumbled as Simon sighed.

"Fine, but I'm going to start eating without you guys." And with that, his footsteps retreated from our room.

The click of the door closing sounded like a gunshot and I flinched. As Derek turned to face me, my eyes darted to the side, aware that my cheeks were flaming. "I-I-I'll wash up," I mumbled as I saw Derek stuck his hands into his pockets out of my peripheral vision.

"Yeah. Okay. Good."

His words came out as a whoosh as I brushed past him, not before getting a glimpse of a slight redness on the tip of his ears. My mind was still in a whirl when I entered the safety of the bathroom. Like I had guessed, my face resembled that of a cherry. In the mirror, my eyes looked a little disoriented as I took a few deep breaths. _What was _THAT? If only Simon had waited a few minutes before breaking the spell... oh how I wished he had gone on ahead without interrupting would could have taken place.

I cupped my cheeks with my hands as my inner self screamed, partly in surprise at the turn of events and partly in frustration that it almost but didn't happen. "Oh god..." I muttered softly to my reflection.

Facing my roommate was going to be awkward.

. . . . . . . . . .

Admittedly, for the rest of that day, I couldn't quite look Derek in the eye without remembering what happened, but the weirdness that I felt slowly faded back into normalcy when we talked about everything but _that_. There was a part of me that wanted to confront him about it, to demand what was going on in his head, but at the same time, the rest of me was too cowardly to do so. What if I had misinterpreted his actions? It would be mortifying if I had somehow imagined it all. So, I kept my mouth shut.

With having his deep dark secret out in the open between us, I could feel a subtle change in my roommate. He was a little less guarded and there was this gentleness in his expressions that made the back of my throat dry. Especially when he prefers to sleep shirtless. When I prodded him about it, Derek admitted that he was afraid of what I would think when I saw his scars. That I would distance myself from him. But after seeing my reaction, that fear dissipated and his relief was evident.

The rest of the school days went by quickly and before we knew it, winter break wasn't too far away. December also meant more exams, wrapping up the chapter before we forgot everything. So it was a busy time for all of us. My weakest subjects had always been the heavier academic ones like science and math, but with Derek's help, I managed to pull my grades up from C's to B's. As for the rest of my art type-classes, I aced their exams.

During the last week of school, I was late getting to lunch because I had a question regarding one of my answers on the exam. So I was about to meet up with everyone in the cafeteria when I passed Nate, who was putting up a banner above the doorway. He caught my eye and climbed down from the step ladder. "Hey," I greeted him. "How's it going?"

He gave me a small smile. Although things between us were still awkward, I did see him around from time to time and we were slowly inching towards being just friends again. "Hey yourself. Not bad, just getting this up so that everyone knows that we're selling tickets to the Snowball all week long in front of the cafeteria." He nodded towards the banner that was heavily decorated with blue and white glitter as well as painted snowflakes.

"The Snowball?"

"I forgot that you weren't here last year. It's a type of formal winter dance that takes place every year. There's going to be a bunch of food and I heard from one of the girls that they're making some sort of gigantic cake in culinary arts. It's going to be on Friday next week, if you're interested," Nate explained as he dusted glitter off his hands.

I nodded. "Yeah, it sounds cool. I'll think about it," I said as I started towards the cafeteria.

After a few steps, Nate called me. "Chloe?"

I stopped and turned to face him. "Yeah?"

As his eyes met mine, sadness flickered in them for a moment before vanishing as quickly as it came. Then he reassembled his emotions and gave me a genuine smile. "You should go with Derek," he added as he folded the step ladder.

I gave him a shy smile in return. "W-we'll see. I'll see you around, Nate," I replied before joining the lineup for the food.

By the time I got everything together, everyone else was already at our designated table in the far corner. Tori moved down a spot as I placed my tray on the table. "What took you so long?" she questioned as she finished her salad wrap.

I jerked my head towards the cafeteria entrance. "I was looking at the banner for the dance that's next week," I answered.

Liz's face lit up. "The Snowball? Yeah, last year's was pretty fun. It's like the only formal dance our school has for all the grades instead of just for seniors and juniors, so usually a lot of people turn out for it. Not to mention you're allowed to bring a guest if you like," she added energetically.

"And student council crowns the best pair at the end of the evening too," Tori remarked.

"Who was last year's pair?" I asked as I bit into my chicken sandwich.

Simon laughed. "Who do you think?" he said. "Melinda and Nate of course. Though that was when they were together."

Tori scoffed at the mention of Melinda. Even though Melinda and I reached a truce and she called off my tormentors, Tori still didn't like her. Probably due to the reason that the feeling seemed to be mutual. "This year should be different considering Nate's in the student council and they're the ones organizing this dance, so he won't be in the running for Ice King."

I took a sip of some OJ before trying to put on a nonchalant face. "So, are you guys all going to the dance?" I asked as I sneaked a glimpse at my roommate who was too busy wolfing down his food to participate in the conversation.

Liz and Tori both nodded emphatically. "Yeah! We can go into town for dress shopping this weekend. It'll be a bit of a rush, but I'm sure we can find something," Liz stated.

Simon also confirmed that he was going but when I looked at Derek, my excitement faded as I saw his bored expression. "Nah, it's not my thing," he murmured when he polished off his plate. "I'd rather pack my stuff for the break."

Simon rolled his eyes. "You can do that in the morning, bro. That's what I'm doing."

Derek gave him a dry look. "Yeah? I happen to remember some idiot forgetting to pack a bunch of stuff last year when he did that," he grunted as Simon flipped him the finger. "Whatever. I'm good."

I tried not to let my disappointment show on my face and finished the rest of my sandwich in silence as I listened to the rest of my friends make plans for the dance. When the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch, I was about to leave with Derek when Simon jogged up to me. "Hey Chloe? Mind walking with me for a moment?" he asked.

I exchanged a quizzical look with Derek before waving him to go on ahead. Watching his figure disappear into the crowd of people heading towards class, I turned towards Simon. "What's up?"

"Well, I'm not going to beat around the bush. So...you like Derek, don't you?"

I blinked, sure that I heard that wrong. "W-what?"

An amused smile. "Judging by your stutter, I'm going to say that my hunch is right," he teased as my cheeks warmed. "And now you're blushing."

I bit my lower lip as I dropped my gaze. It seemed that everyone knew how I felt except for the guy himself. Figures. Genius in everything but clueless about a girl's feelings. "When did you find out?" I asked as we headed towards the art wing, where my creative writing class was located.

Simon shrugged as he readjusted his grip on his backpack strap. "Honestly, for a while now. I could tell that you felt something for Derek, but you didn't quite know what it was until the whole mess with Nate. Once that got out of the way, I felt that something changed between you guys and thought that it was about time that you figured it out," he replied with a grin.

At this moment, I felt like I wanted to bury my head in sand. It was embarrassing enough that Simon called me out on my crush on his brother but it was even worse that he was able to decipher my feelings before I could. My mortification must have shown on my face because Simon laughed. "Hey, don't feel bad. Because I definitely don't. While it's hard to read my brother, I do think that the two of you would be good for each other. So keep your chin up, okay?" he advised. "I'll see if I can persuade him to go to the dance. It might work if I keep mentioning the food."

A laugh bubbled up as I pictured Derek hogging all the food at the buffet table. "Okay. Thanks, Simon."

He shot me a quick grin paired with a thumbs up before hustling towards his sculpture class.

Unfortunately, despite Simon's best efforts, Derek could not be moved from his decision. On the inside, I was a little disheartened that he wasn't going because the dance seemed like it would be fun. At my previous schools, I did go to the occasional dance, but never with a guy. Even if we weren't together, I would have liked to go with Derek. So when he didn't change his mind, I decided that I would opt out as well.

When I told Liz and Tori that, they were disappointed. I was grateful to them for inviting me to come hang with them, but the two of them had dates for the dance and I figured that I'd really rather not be a fifth wheel. Even Simon was bringing someone with him, though he refused to say who. So yes, I decided to hang out with Derek in our dorm.

For the next week, the dance was the topic of nearly everyone's conversation. Who was going with who, what they were going to wear and other stuff. Those who had been planning for competing for the title of Ice Queen had their dresses ordered from a while ago. And for everyone else who didn't really care, they went down on the weekend to go dress shopping.

After surviving the last few days of school, it was finally the night of the dance. The teachers even gave up trying to persuade everyone to pay attention and let us out early so we could enjoy the last few hours on campus before being picked up tomorrow morning. For those who weren't interested in attending the dance, with permission from their parents, they were being picked up tonight rather than the next morning, but I had received an email from my dad that his flight wouldn't get in until early morning. But I wasn't complaining. After all, Derek was also staying behind since Simon wanted to go to the dance.

So after spending the rest of my afternoon helping Tori and Liz get ready for the dance, I buried my envy and gave them a strong smile. I would have liked being able to go with them, but at the same time, I wanted to stick by my promise of ensuring that Derek wasn't alone. I parted ways with them shortly after and headed back towards my dorm.

As it was December, the temperature was slightly below freezing with snow blanketing the ground, so I was grateful for the brush of warm air that greeted me when I stepped into the lobby. Like it had been in the girls' dormitory, the scene here wasn't much different. Girls were milling around with their beautiful evening dresses, frantically perfecting themselves as much as they could. On the contrary, the guys lounged around, looking bored, until their partners were ready. Greeting some of my friends, I then climbed up three sets of stairs and slipped into my room.

Turning on the lights inside, I saw that Derek had not returned from his lab assistant work, so I made myself comfortable and changed into a pair of sweats and a Lyle Academy t-shirt. Then I started to pack everything that I was going to take with me for two weeks. My laptop, my ipod, my winter break homework, as well as some of my clothes went into the bag. Quite a few of them needed to be washed, but I could do that at home where I didn't need to wait to use the laundry machine. When I was done, I propped up my pillow and thumbed through an entertainment magazine that I had subscribed to. Not too long later, Derek returned. I glanced up from an article sharing this week's latest celebrity scandal. "Hey," I said as he dropped his backpack on the floor and dusted snow from his hair. "How was work?"

He shrugged. "Same as usual. Mainly cleanup work," he answered. "You got anything planned tonight?"

I shook my head as I flipped page. "Nope."

"Good. Let's go into town."

"Hm?"

Derek rolled his eyes. "It's the last day. Since everyone else is having fun at the dance, we might as well get out and enjoy ourselves. Besides, neither of us has anything else to do, right?" he pointed out as I nodded. "So get ready and we'll go."

I glimpsed the time on the clock; it was only five, meaning that we had another five hours before curfew. Slapping my magazine on the bedside table, I threw my covers off me and quickly selected an outfit from my closet before ducking into the bathroom.

As I changed, I couldn't help but feel a little giddy at the thought of going off campus with Derek. It was almost like a date. Looking at the mirror, I surveyed my reflection from different sides and contemplated on my appearance. I wanted to look nice, but I didn't want to overdo it. After all, I was currently Derek's friend, nothing more. But that didn't stop me from washing my face thoroughly or brushing my hair no less than a dozen times.

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, Derek glanced over with a look that clearly said, "finally". I wrapped my muffler around my neck and buttoned up my jacket as I gave him a sheepish smile. "I'm ready now." My roommate rolled his eyes again, but forgave me with a small crooked smile.

By the time we got downstairs, most of the dorm had emptied out with only a few people who weren't going to the dance just hanging around, trying to decide on a movie. We signed out at the front desk with a reminder to be back by curfew and caught the bus going into town a while later.

There had been plenty of seats, but Derek chose the last row and I slid in next to him. "So, what's the plan?" I asked as the bus turned away from our school and down the hill.

"There's no plan."

I stared at my roommate in mock astonishment. "_You_ of all people have _no_ plan?"

He shrugged as the corners of his moth tilted upwards into a slight smile. "I thought it'd be nice to get out since it's the last day. Just to hang out," he replied as I smiled and settled comfortably into my seat.

"Okay. Sounds good."

After a transfer onto the subway, we ended up a few blocks from the centre of the city, the liveliest part of Oakridge. It was made even more so with couples and friends drifting aimlessly through the streets, their cheeks rosy from the cold. Shopping bags hung loosely from their arms as they huddled together, happily talking about whatever came to mind. Christmas lights and other seasonal decorations filled the streetlamps, bringing colour to the sidewalks. Derek and I walked in comfortable silence until we came across the outdoor ice rink. It was fairly busy being a Friday night with people of all ages skating at different speeds, their voices indistinguishable from one another. A few meters away was a skate rental and admission shack.

An idea came to me and I tugged Derek in that direction. "Let's go skating!" I exclaimed as Derek held his ground.

With his size and weight, it was the equivalent of a toddler trying to move an adult. I glanced back at him. "What's wrong? You don't want to?"

Derek shrugged wordlessly as he turned his face away, his faint pink cheeks visible by the light. I frowned as I studied him. It didn't seem that he was opposed to the idea of skating; he would have said so. So it had to be something else.

His eyes refused to meet mine as they darted nervously from side to side. With his back hunched and his hands in his pockets, he seemed almost embarrassed. Then I got it. "You don't know how to skate," I said softly as he grimaced.

"Yeah," he mumbled as he rocked back on his heels.

I smiled as I tugged on his jacket sleeve again. "That's okay, I can teach you. It'll be fun, I promise," I reassured him. "Besides, not knowing how to do something makes it even more worthwhile to try it."

Derek frowned down at me. "What you just said sounds ridiculous."

I gave him a look as I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes. "Fine whatever. But come on, give it a shot. It's the last day," I added.

Derek contemplated this and sighed in defeat. Cheering on the inside, I hastily brought him over to rent out skates and a few minutes later, we were on the ice. Or I should say, _I_ was on the ice. Feeling gleeful at the sensation of gliding on the ice, I zipped a few metres in until I realized that Derek was nowhere near me. Turning, I saw that he was looking dubiously at the ice as though it was going to crack any moment and swallow him whole. Then very slowly, he took a cautious step, then another. Almost instantly, his legs locked beneath him at the difference in terrain. His eyes widened in alarm as his lips formed a curse.

I bit my lower lip to prevent a giggle from escaping as I eyed my roommate. On normal ground, Derek walked with confidence that bordered on arrogance. There wasn't much that he couldn't do. But here, he looked as awkward as a newborn fawn with his bent knees and his arms thrust outwards to maintain his balance. Deciding to save him, I skated up to Derek, who was quivering from head to toe. "It's easier to fall if you're all hunched over like that," I pointed out as he scowled at me.

"This isn't very fun."

This time, I did roll my eyes. "That's because you're new at this. Here, try to straighten up and then mimic me," I advised as I placed my feet in a V-shaped position and then pushed off with one foot and then the other.

Despite his grumbling earlier, he was a quick learner and after a few unsuccessful attempts, Derek managed to glide several metres. Although it was slow, we went around the rink a few times, talking about our plans for the winter. "So your dad is coming back for the break?" Derek questioned as we skated side by side.

I nodded. "Yeah. I haven't seen him for a while now, so it'll be nice to get to spend some time with him. He promised that he'll be devoting his two weeks to me." I grinned. "We'll do a movie marathon. He's always liked The Terminator anyway."

However, as we skated, a pair of young boys raced past us, one of them bumping into me as he skirted by. Being thrown off balance, my arms flailed as I felt myself falling forward, face-first. But then, I suddenly wasn't. Instead, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist, holding me up. "That was close," Derek breathed against my ear. "Bunch of morons. You okay?"

My pulse raced, both from the suddenness of falling and my unexpected rescue. "Y-yeah. Fine," I stuttered.

I tried not to focus on our close proximity, but it was nearly impossible with Derek literally breathing down my neck. It almost felt like a backwards hug. My cheeks flamed when I realized that I was in his arms for a moment too long and got my footing, gently pushing him away. "T-thanks for catching me."

"No problem."

We stood there in uncomfortable silence, neither one of us knowing how to break the awkwardness. Dimly, I could see the blur of skaters gliding past but I couldn't focus. After what seemed like minutes, I cleared my throat. "It's been an hour since we first got on the ice... so uh, we done here?"

Derek nodded. "Yeah, okay."

Without looking back at my roommate, I skated on ahead by a little and handed my skates back to the rental shack before waiting for Derek to do the same. The awkward atmosphere surrounded us as I struggled to think of something to say. Anything that would make us go back to our comfortable, normal selves.

Oddly enough, as I concentrated on dissipating the tension between us, Derek was the one to do it. As soon as he took off the skates, he groaned, rotating his feet freely. "That feels amazing," he muttered as he closed his eyes in peace.

The comical sight of Derek sighing in relief at the idea of being back on solid ground released a small giggle from me. And just like that, the tension dissolved. Derek raised an eyebrow. "Are you laughing at me?" he challenged.

I shook my head as I bit my lower lip to prevent myself from smirking. "No, of course not."

He gave me a look of disbelief but didn't say anything more until he returned his skates. "Now that I've done it, I can say for sure that skating is something that I don't particularly enjoy," Derek remarked as we left the ice rink. "Where did you learn anyway?"

"I did a bit of skating when my dad and I moved to Canada. They're pretty enthusiastic about winter sports up there," I replied, blowing hot air into my hands.

Derek cocked his head to the side as he glanced down at my bare hands. "What happened to your mittens?" he asked.

"I lost one of them the other day. That makes it the third pair this year." I sighed as we headed towards the commercial district.

Finally when Derek's stomach rumbled, he tugged me into a coffee shop. It was a Starbucks knockoff, but it was warm and cozy. The strong aroma of coffee filled the room and I inhaled deeply, savouring the rich smell.

Five minutes later, Derek and I shouldered past the clusters of people hanging around the front counter towards a pair of oversized chairs in the corner. I sighed in contentment as I sank into one, my tired muscles satisfied. Derek let out a small rumbling chuckle as he watched me with an amused expression. I raised my caramel macchiato halfway to my lips and paused, narrowing my eyes at my roommate over the top of the mountain of whipped cream. "What?"

A smirk. "Nothing."

I gave him a look of disbelief but dropped the subject. Instead, my mind drifted, for the first time this evening, to the dance. "I wonder who's getting crowned tonight?" I said as Derek shrugged.

"Don't know. Probably the usual people."

I leaned back into the chair as I thought about who was going with who. After some encouragement from Tori and me, Liz had asked Peter, who had said yes. Tori had originally planned on going solo, but in the end was asked by a shy but sweet computer whiz. That left Simon. I sat up, nearly spilling my drink. "I never did figure out who Simon brought to the dance. Is it anyone from our school?"

The corners of Derek's mouth lifted. "Nah, Kari goes to Brentwood Heights, but she's from our neighbourhood. Took Simon long enough to ask her out though," he explained. "Haven't you ever wondered why Simon's practically attached to his phone? Before he changed his plan, Dad threatened to take his phone away and I'm sure Simon wouldn't survive without it."

I laughed. "So, what do you think of her?"

Derek finished the rest of his hot chocolate and threw it into the garbage bin a few meters away. Of course, it landed perfectly. He turned back to me and shrugged. "Kari's okay. Better than the other girls that Simon has gone out with," he replied.

We left the coffee house shortly after to make our curfew. As we stepped out, we were immediately greeted by the low temperature and I felt goosebumps rise on my skin at the chill. "It's snowing again," I breathed as I watched the white powdery material cover everything in its path. "I hope that's not a problem getting back to school."

Derek nodded. "Yeah. It should be okay though. There's not enough of it for the buses to stop running. But we should get going."

We walked with our backs hunched from the cold as we joked and goofed around, our breath visible in the frigid air. I didn't know whether it was because our winter break had started or if it was just from walking around in what felt like a winter wonderland, but our spirits were high. Even though we didn't do a whole lot, it had been a while since I had fun and not once tonight did I feel cold on the inside.

Christmas music played faintly from all around us as I fell a few steps behind Derek. He had been talking about one of his past Christmases with Simon and his dad, his face alight with happiness. Tonight, he had smiled a lot. His real smile with teeth and all. Each time he did, my heart skipped a beat. I didn't think that I could ever get tired of seeing him like this. Whenever the light hit him in a certain way, his eyes stood out from everything else and the emotion I see in them made me feel that nothing could ever go wrong.

However, despite the warmth that I felt associated with Derek, there was a pit of sadness in my heart too. No matter what I felt, it would be so much easier to remain as we were. Derek was one of my best friends. Why complicate the comfortable relationship between us?

But as I looked at my roommate, there was a selfish side of me that wanted more. Over and over, I've tried to bury those feelings, but it had gone to a point that they refuse to be silenced. It was almost unbearable. I was so immersed in my feelings that I didn't realize that Derek had noticed that I had stopped.

"Chloe?"

I snapped out of my thoughts as my pulse roared in my ears at being caught staring at him. To make matters worse, my vision was blurred with unshed tears. Quickly, I glanced away, knowing that my emotions were unsteady enough that they were being reflected by my eyes. I couldn't let him see them. He would know and he would push me away. No matter how gently he would turn me down, it would still hurt more than being stabbed a hundred times.

"Your face... what's wrong?" Derek asked as his shadow grew closer to me. "Did I do something?"

His voice was a low rumble. Even though it was all just me, Derek was worried about having done something wrong. I wanted to let out a laugh. It was so like him. Always concerned about others more than himself. But that was part of the reason why I liked him so much.

Derek wasn't perfect and he never tried to be, but there was a goodness about him that was breathtaking.

Blinking rapidly, I willed my tears to go away. Then slowly, I turned to face my roommate, my eyes not quite meeting his. "S-sorry," I whispered, hoping that my stutter was unheard. "It's nothing."

Wordlessly, his shadow enveloped me as he looked down. "Look at me, Chloe," he murmured, his voice soft.

An unseen force tilted my face up as I stared into the deep emerald irises that I had loved so much. My tears threatened to spill, but they did nothing to hide the surprise in Derek's expression. On the inside, there was a part of me that wanted to crawl into a corner and be forgotten.

He knew.

I turned away, breaking the connection. I shut my eyes tightly to prevent my tears from escaping, but it was too late; one already did. It slid down my flamed cheeks. My humiliation was now complete. My arms hung limply at my sides as I wished that I had been stronger in keeping my feelings a secret, but now I ruined everything. This was the worst.

As I stood there, wiping at my tears uselessly, gentle fingers brushed my chin, turning me to face him. Then without another word, Derek kissed me.

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><p><strong>AN: Yay! I know. This is another FINALLY, right? I hope it's not really a cliff hanger because I didn't intend for it to be one. More details will be revealed in the next chapter because our protagonist will not be able to stop thinking about it. I also hope that the ending of this chapter was smooth enough because I had to stop and replan quite a few things, but I was eventually able to finish the last page and a half within one sitting. I looked at the published date of this fanfic the other day and I was surprised to learn that it's already a year old! Wow. I wonder what are the chances of me finishing this fanfiction before the end of the year? Probably not very high, but that doesn't mean that I'll try! Got a midterm this week on organic chem and I keep wishing for a brilliant mind like Derek to help me through it. Anyway, until the next one! Please look forward to it.**


	27. Going Home

**A/N: Hey Everyone! I know, it's super late. -bows head in shame- No excuses this time and I apologize for the late update. On the bright side, my semester has ended and it's still the holidays. So I hope you'll like this chapter too.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers  
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><p><strong>Chapter 27: Going Home<strong>

The moment his lips brushed mine, the world seemed to freeze. My first thought was that I was dreaming, but when I felt that jolt zing through my body like wildfire, I realized that it was happening for real. Derek was kissing me.

At first, he was tentative, as though unsure of his welcome, but when I closed my eyes and kissed him back, I felt his entire body relax, the tension dissipating. His cool fingers cupped my face as I responded to his lips, Derek's warmth chasing away the cold. When we finally broke apart to regain our breath, I staggered back, blinking rapidly at Derek, my cheeks flushed. Before I could stop myself, a soft "wow" escaped my mouth as I gaped at my roommate. Then a fresh surge of blood rushed to my head when I realized that I had voiced my thoughts. "I-i-i mean.." I stammered, trying to hide my embarrassment.

A low rumbling chuckle sounded through the air as Derek's eyes danced with amusement. "Good. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he admitted softly as he stuck his hands into his pockets, suddenly looking very boyish.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise as I processed his words. So it wasn't just me that was struggling to keep my feelings hidden. A slow smile grew across my face. "Sorry, I didn't catch that. Can you say it again?" I asked, biting my lower lip to keep my grin from giving me away.

Derek's face reddened as he started to repeat what he said before he caught the look on my face. Then he gave me a dry look. "You heard me the first time, didn't you?"

I shot him a blazing grin in response. It was so wide that I felt the burn in my cheeks, but I couldn't stop anyway. And I didn't want to. It was a strange how moments ago, I felt like I had screwed everything up between Derek and me. But right now, I was beyond ecstatic. Derek liked me as much as I liked him.

A hundred questions popped up that I wanted to ask Derek right away, but I knew that there was plenty of time to do that later, so I held the urge back. Instead, we both agreed that it was time to head back to make our 10 o'clock curfew. We didn't talk a lot on the way home but the silence between us wasn't uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. It made me even happier when Derek entwined his fingers with mine and didn't let go until we got back.

. . . . . . . . . .

In the morning, it was pretty chaotic; kids and parents alike were bustling all around campus, saying farewells and getting their stuff together. Along with the rest of my friends, we stood in the farthest corner of the school's gym as we watched parents pick up their kids for the winter break. Although it was snowing lightly inside, the gym's heater was way up and I wasn't the only one who was sweating underneath my hoodie. "God, why is it so hot?" Tori grumbled.

Simon sighed as he saved his sports bag from being stomped on by a preoccupied parent. "Like I said for the past five times that you've asked, there's too many people in one room. Not to mention all the activity going on," he replied.

Tori shot him an annoyed look. "It was a rhetorical question, Simon. I didn't ask you to answer me," she snapped.

"Then stop voicing your complaints out loud. We know it's hot, okay?"

Tori rolled her eyes but remained silent. As we stood there waiting for our parents, we said goodbyes to our other friends and made plans to meet up during our break. For those who were international students and were returning to their countries, we exchanged hugs and promised to remain in contact. "Our dorm just got a lot emptier," I murmured quietly as a group of Japanese exchange students left together for their ride.

Derek gave my hand a small comforting squeeze out of view. I glanced up at him as the corners of his mouth tilted upward. "But a lot quieter. Thank god," he rumbled.

While Liz and Tori were still on the lookout for their parents, Simon caught the exchange and after a few short moments of surprise, he flashed me a blazing grin accompanied by a thumbs up as he figured out the change in our relationship. Blushing, I smiled back.

It wasn't too long before Liz's Nanna was the first guardian to drop by. Then it was Tori's mom. Slowly, the gym started to empty out a little more with me and the guys still in our corner. As I waited, a feeling of unease bubbled up inside me. Was my dad not coming? Did something bad happen to his plane that was supposed to arrive this morning? Or was he just delayed? I swallowed thickly as I tried to remain hopeful. Pulling out my phone, I almost sighed in relief when I saw that I had a message from my dad.

"Worrying about your dad?" Derek murmured beside me as I turned to look at him.

"Yeah, but he messaged me saying that his plane got in late," I replied, slipping my phone back into my pocket.

"Good. He'll be here soon then."

Almost instantly, I felt a bit better. It was silly, but hearing Derek say those words out loud made it seem real. Like everything would be okay as long as he thought it would be. I smiled up at my roommate and felt like I had drank a large steaming cup of hot chocolate when he returned it with my favourite crooked smile.

Simon rolled his eyes at us, but it was in mock annoyance. After a while, he mentioned that he was going to get some fresh air and left the two of us together. We talked more about our plans for the break when someone called out my name. My head whipped around at the familiar voice and saw my father standing a few feet away. He looked tired and unshaven from his early flight, but nevertheless, his face lit up when he saw me. I felt a grin tug on my lips at the aspect of finally seeing him after many months. I glanced at my roommate, who was sitting next to me on the bench. "Come on, you should meet my dad."

Derek nodded and rose, helping me with my luggage despite my protests. The two of us walked over to him and my dad looked at Derek with curiosity evident on his face. "Hey Dad," I greeted. "This is Derek. He's... one of my best friends."

Although we were on the edge of becoming something more, I wasn't ready to reveal that information to my dad. Especially since Derek was also my roommate. My dad was pretty easy going and he had never raised his voice at me, but I was still a little worried about his reaction if he found that that I had been lying about rooming alone for the past few months. Not to mention rooming with a guy.

Then an uneasy feeling wormed its way up. Would Derek be hurt that I didn't introduce him as my boyfriend? I sneaked a peek at Derek and his eye met mine. With a small nod inconspicuous to anyone else, I could see that Derek had somehow known the jumbled mess that I was mentally trying to sort out. And that he understood. I breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in my shoulders melting away.

Derek stood half a head taller than my dad with all six feet something of him but after the initial jolt of wariness, my dad greeted him with a handshake. "Thanks for looking after my daughter. She must have been a handful," he said as Derek grasped his hand firmly.

"No sir. Chloe's been great. I'm sure she has looked after me more than I have for her," Derek replied as my dad's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise.

I rolled my eyes. Evidently, my dad didn't think I was capable of doing so. "See? Boarding school has been good for me," I said as my dad chuckled softly.

"I see. Well, we have a long day ahead of us with all the unpacking that we have to do when we get home. Is that everything, Chloe?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll go load these in the car and when you're ready, come find me in the parking lot," my dad said as he turned to face Derek. "It was nice to meet you, Derek. Enjoy your holidays."

"You too, sir."

My dad gave him another smile before taking my luggage with him towards the car. When he left, I caught Derek studying me. "What is it?" I questioned as a small smile tugged on his lips.

"You and your dad both have the same eyes," Derek remarked as I grinned up at him.

"I take more after my mom, but yeah, my eyes are his," I replied.

We stood there in a few moments of silence before I broke it. "I should probably get going or else my dad will start to wonder."

Derek nodded as he enveloped me into a hug, catching me off guard for a second. Then I returned his embrace, my arms wrapped around his waist as I inhaled his forest pine scent, something that will be absent over the next two weeks. "We'll meet up during the break," Derek murmured softly, his breath tickling the tips of my ears. "Until then, enjoy your time with your dad and take care."

Slowly, he released me but held onto my hand, his thumb trailing down the back of my hand, sending good shivers up my spine at the contact. I took another long look at his face. It seemed ridiculous, but I knew I would miss him as soon as I walked out of the school and wanted to commit his expressions to memory. Especially the intensity of his gaze as he looked down at me. "You too, Derek. I'll see you later. Say bye to Simon for me," I added.

Derek nodded and I gave him one last smile before waving at him from the doorway and joining my father in the parking lot.

"Sorry I was late," said my dad as we went down the mountain, Lyle Academy growing smaller and smaller with the increasing distance.

I shook my head as I made myself comfortable in my seat and rolled down the window an inch to let in the cool breeze. "It's not your fault the plane was delayed. How was your flight?"

"Just the usual. No matter how many times you eat it, I swear that air plane food never gets any better," he replied as he glanced at me with a quick smile and I laughed.

On the way home, my dad talked about his business trips while questioning me about my school life. We didn't have the closest father-daughter relationship so our conversation felt a little awkward. Eventually, the uncomfortable silence grew between us and my dad asked if he could turn on the radio. I waved for him to go ahead and with a push of a button, soft Christmas music played, its familiar tunes filling the car.

I leaned my head against the frosty window as I thought about last night with the unexpected turn of events between Derek and me. When I closed my eyes, I swore I could still feel the warmth of his lips on mine. My first kiss. It was as perfect as I could have imagined.

With all the excitement from the outing, I barely slept at all last night because I kept replaying that moment over and over again in my mind. The way his husky voice caressed my name, the gentleness of his fingers as he brushed them against my face and his ardent expression that showed his bare feelings... his feelings for me.

As the car rolled smoothly down the street, with the humid air surrounding us, I fell asleep to the memory of being in Derek's arms.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Chloe?"

Fingers gently shook my shoulder and I woke to see that we had stopped. My dad smiled at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling, my luggage in his hand. "We're home."

I blinked harder as I stared at the house that I had not seen for the past four months. Biting back a yawn, I got out of the car and followed my dad into the building. While we had been gone, my dad had rented it out but now, it was vacant again. With the heater off, it was nearly as cold as it was outside and my dad hurried to turn up the thermostat, the house buzzing to life within seconds. I glanced around at the bare walls, feeling like a stranger in my own territory. My dad must have caught my expression because he remarked, "We got a lot to do before it'll feel like home again."

I nodded as I grabbed my luggage. "I'll head up to my room and get my stuff settled down first, if that's okay," I said.

"Sure thing. I'll go up to the attic and bring the boxes down. Do you need help carrying that upstairs?" He gestured at my luggage.

"No thanks, I'm good."

Slowly, I trudged up the wooden staircase, my eyes darting around the hallway, remembering the first time I had climbed up the same set of stairs, a few months ago. Everything had looked brand new then, and now, it wasn't much different. After all, I spent the past four months living in the dormitory.

When I finally got to my declared room, there were some signs of usage while I had been away, with a small dent in the desk to the faint chair scrapes on the ground. But other than that, it seemed like the way I had left it. My room wasn't personalized in the slightest due to having rented it out to a family, but with a hard day's work, I can get it looking the way I wanted it to. And that's what I did.

Over the next few days, my dad and I restored our house so that it no longer looked like an open house. Slowly, it began to feel like home. The relationship between my dad and I got better too.

One day, I was reading in the living room with the fireplace crackling behind me when I looked up and saw my dad hovering in the door way, looking uncertain. "Hey Dad. What's up?" I asked, lowering my paperback novel.

He fidgeted nervously as he glanced at me. "I was wondering... if you had any plans for tonight," he murmured hesitatingly, as though afraid of rejection.

I blinked as I studied him. Even though my dad didn't say it, I knew that he felt bad about how often he was gone for work. There were times that I wished he was home more often, but I didn't blame him. Somehow, he still thought I did and was trying to make it up to me. "Nope, none. What did you have in mind?" I questioned as I saw my dad's face light up with hope.

"Oh um..." he stopped as he struggled to think of something. Evidently, he had doubted that I wanted to spend time with him and that was as far as his thought process had went. "How about a movie marathon?" he suggested after a moment.

I smiled. "Sure. How about Lord of the Rings? I saw the whole set when we were cleaning out the attic the other day."

Relief shone in his eyes. "That sounds great. We could call in for Thai food and make popcorn too," he added.

"We could also make cookies for dessert. I learned some really good recipes at school," I said. "Though, judging from what I saw of our cupboard, we don't have too many ingredients."

My dad let out a small chuckle. "Then let's go do some grocery shopping."

Once we returned from the supermarket, we spent the afternoon in the kitchen making a batch of gingerbread cookies, the perfect wintery snack. As the radio played faintly behind us, we chatted as we worked. It started out a little shaky, with neither of us knowing what to say, but after a few false starts, the two of us worked out the kinks.

"I saw your report card the other day," my dad said suddenly as I paused from sifting the flour.

Unlike with previous report cards, I was a lot happier with this one. Mainly because I did a lot better in my weaker subjects. But like with all the others, I held my breath as I waited for my dad's judgement. After a moment of suspense, he smiled at me, my relief coming out as a silent whoosh of breath. "You did very well this term and I'm proud that you managed to pull up your grade in the heavier classes like math and science. You used to hate them," my dad said.

I smiled, thinking about the one responsible for my grade. "Derek's a total genius and he really helped me when he saw that I was struggling to keep up with the material," I explained. "I still don't like them as much as my art-type classes, but now that I understand the course content a lot better... well, I guess they aren't too bad."

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw my dad look at me as I added the spices to the mixture. I could feel his questioning gaze and knew what he was about to ask. "How did you meet him? At first glance, he doesn't quite seem..." his voice trailed off and he flushed, as though embarrassed. "I mean..."

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "He doesn't quite seem like someone I'd be friends with?" I supplied helpfully as my dad nodded. "You're right. In the beginning, I would never have thought that we'd be good friends, but we are. We live in the same dorm, so after a few misunderstandings cleared up, we managed to tolerate each other with his brother, Simon, playing the peace maker between us."

It was the truth. If you were technical about it, you could say it was more like a half-truth. But my dad didn't know me well enough to see that I was omitting several important facts and I felt a twinge of guilt at betraying his trust. So I hurried on before I could blurt out something that would be better kept as a secret. "What do you think of him?"

My dad was now adding the egg and other liquid ingredients. "Hm? Oh. Well, judging from the five minute encounter with him, I can say that Derek was very well mannered when we met the other morning and his handshake was good. I always think that people who have firm handshakes are good at heart. Though, I have to admit that I was a little wary when I first saw him," he replied with an apologetic look, as though anxious that he had insulted my friend.

I gave a small laugh. "I felt that way too when we first met. But he's a good guy once you get to know him." I paused. "Unfortunately, most people don't give him that chance," I added bitterly, feeling a spark of anger at everyone who judged him solely by his appearance or the rumours about him.

My dad nodded as we turned on the electric mixer, the whirling sounds ceasing the conversation between us. I thought about the way people treated Derek. In the crowded hallways between classes, it was inevitable that they'd bump into him. But anytime else, everyone gave him wide berth, as though he had the plague. It always pissed me off when they treated him like that. He was just a normal guy and yet everyone treated him as though he wasn't. Although Derek never gave any reason to justify the rumours of him being a drug dealer, it was evident that people believed them. The way their lips curled in a sneer, the look of disgust in their eyes and the hushed whispers surrounding him whenever he was around.

You'd think that being the school's basketball guru, he'd have a better reputation, but nope. People see what they want to see and that angered me more than anything else.

But thankfully, Derek didn't care about what others thought of him. If they were to judge people solely on what others said about him, Derek didn't need them as friends. We were there and that was enough for him.

We worked in silence for the remainder of the cookie preparation. Finally, when we split them into halves and stored them in the fridge to cool, I glanced at my dad. "Should we start the movie?" I asked.

He smiled. "Sure."

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><p><strong>AN: I'm sure that a lot of you are disappointed that not a whole lot happened in this chapter and I feel bad about that, but I felt that the last few chapters have been action-heavy in terms of plot, so I wanted a chapter to slow things down a bit before revving them up again for the final chapters. But don't worry, Chloe will see Derek soon. In other words, the next one will be a funner chapter to write. **

**Before I forget, some of you may have noticed it already, but I put up a poll regarding the type of fanfiction choices that I may write for the next upcoming fanfic for our favorite pairing. If you haven't done so already, I'd really appreciate it if you took a few seconds to check out the poll on my profile and vote for what you'd like. I can't promise that I'll do the winning choice, but it's a strong chance that I will. Thanks a lot!**

******As always, I thank you all for staying with me for so long and I hope you'll look forward to the next chapter! Happy Holidays!**


	28. On My Own

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long. My semester is killing me. Taking physics, calculus and statistics all at once isn't my smartest idea ever. But luckily, we get a break off of school to relax. Although mine is almost up, I'm still enjoying the last few days and was finally able to finish this chapter. On another note, I can't believe I reached 1000 reviews! I never thought that I'd be able to get to that milestone and needless to say, it definitely made my day! Thank you all so so much for your support!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers**

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><p><strong>Chapter 28: On My Own<strong>

"So how's life in the dormitories?" Aunt Lauren asked as I sliced my pancakes into smaller pieces.

She had arrived yesterday after a long trip in Paris and suggested having breakfast with me while my dad was holed up in his so-called "dungeon" doing work. Like with my dad, it was great to see her again. "It's been fun. I like it," I answered her. "I've met a lot of people and although I'm starting to get sick of eating cafeteria food, I think dorm life is pretty good." I paused as I chewed. Then after a moment, I added, "The only downside would probably be the noise from all the parties that go on during the weekends."

Aunt Lauren frowned as she studied me carefully. "Do you go to those?" she asked, her tone serious.

As a doctor, she didn't think too highly of events involving alcohol and potentially dangerous accidents. As a surrogate mother, that instinct to keep me safe doubled. I shook my head as her posture relaxed, relief evident on her face. I was never the most socially outgoing person and seeing people I knew passed out or worse wasn't on my list of things to do, so I normally spent my time hanging out with Derek. His take on alcohol was on a whole other level, which was to be expected. After all, his father's alcoholism nearly killed his son. "Der-" I caught myself. "There are better things to do with my time than cleaning up after people."

I wasn't sure how my aunt would respond to my relationship with Derek. My dad seemed to like him, though I think that if he knew the truth about us being roommates, then he would probably have a different reaction. So it was just simpler to avoid talking about Derek more than possible, especially since Aunt Lauren didn't know him. Instead, I asked her how things went at the new hospital overseas and she talked enthusiastically about her work and the people that she met.

After breakfast, my aunt dropped me off at a nearby mall. I wanted to do some Christmas shopping before meeting up with Liz and Tori. As expected of this time of the year, it was pretty packed with everyone going in different directions, their shopping bags dangling from their arms. The soft holiday music that played overhead was drowned out by the cacophony of babies crying, indistinguishable chatter and the rumble of footsteps slapping the linoleum. Aunt Lauren took in the scene with a bated breath. "Well, you're going to have an adventure," she muttered as a shopping bag split open, its contents spilling onto the floor.

I winced as the frustrated lady scrambled to gather up the fallen presents. "Yeah."

Forcing a smile, she turned to me. "Unfortunately, it needs to be done, so there's no point of putting it off until later," she said. "Well, when you are done, let me know."

I nodded. "Sure, thanks." And with that, we went our separate ways.

I took in the sight of chaos and inhaled deeply. It was the same every year, so there was no need to wish that Christmas shopping could somehow do itself. "Well, here goes nothing," I murmured as I stepped into the crowd of bodies milling about.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm for shopping in general, I managed to find gifts for almost everyone on my list. A poster of Ian Somerhalder for boy-crazy Liz, an album featuring one of Tori's favourite groups and a set of Faber-Castell pens for Simon. That left Derek. I frowned as I exited a Michaels store and slumped onto the mall bench, my shopping bags flopping down beside me. I knew Derek rather well, considering we were roommates, but oddly enough, I didn't know what to get him. I knew he loved math and science the way Simon was passionate about art, but I couldn't think of anything that he would be able to use. Food was always a good idea, but it seemed too impersonal, like something you'd buy as a last minute gift.

Just as I started to run out of gift ideas, a familiar shopping bag caught my eye and I blinked. It was one of those major sport stores that had everything from athletic wear to equipment. _Well duh!_ I chastised myself quietly. How could I forget? Derek practically breathed basketball. With renewed energy, I grabbed my bags and hurried off to the map directory to find the store I was looking for.

Moments later, I stood in front of the sport accessories aisle, pondering on what would be most useful for Derek. Basketballs were out of the question as the guys probably had enough of those at home. I thought some of the jerseys looked rather nice and I recalled faintly that Derek liked the New York Knicks, but he didn't seem like he would wear it. "Great," I muttered. "I narrowed the list down but I'm still getting nowhere."

Giving my head a shake, I mentally ticked off items that Derek kept in his sports bag. Water bottle, uniform, extra pair of shoes, head band, wrist band... Wait. Didn't Derek need a new wrist band? The one he had was old and fraying after many months of use. My roommate had mentioned about getting a new one during the break, but there was a chance that he could forget. Without a further thought, I grabbed the package containing a set of wristbands in Derek's usual brand. A few steps later, to my luck, I found a bunch of accessories displaying insignias for various NBA teams. I browsed through them and finally selected a towel with the New York Knicks embroidered on the bottom and proceeded to the checkout.

As I bagged my purchases, I heard a familiar voice call out my name. "Chloe!"

I turned to see Liz hurrying towards me with a new hockey stick, barely avoiding hitting a passerby. Tori, who followed behind her, rolled her eyes at her friend's enthusiasm. I grinned at them. "Hey guys. I'm not late, am I?" I questioned.

Liz shook her head, her long blond hair swishing side to side. "Nope. Just doing some Christmas shopping," she said as she nodded to the hockey stick. "This is for my brother. What about you?"

"Same, I think I got everything on my list." I lifted my arms to show her my shopping bags.

Tori glanced at my bags with interest. "So, are any of our presents in there?" she asked as she tried looking into one of them.

Laughing, I side-stepped her. "Maybe. You'll just have to find out." I smirked.

"Well whatever. Don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. Let's go eat," said Tori as she steered us towards the food court.

The food court was a popular place during normal days but with it being so close to Christmas, it was pretty chaotic. After nearly spilling our trays multiple times, we eventually found a free table in the sea of people. Plopping down, we caught up on each others' lives during the time we had been separated.

As we chatted, a nervous sort of burning urge filled me. Liz and Tori didn't know about the change in relationship between Derek and me. And I wanted them to know, but there didn't seem to be a proper time to cut into the conversation. Finally, after another dozen of torturous minutes, I couldn't keep quiet anymore. I blurted, "Derek and I are going out!"

The conversation ceased for a moment as Liz and Tori mirrored each others' look of surprise. Tori's initial shock faded back to neutrality first as she reached for her fries. "Well, that's something. Never thought you'd be able to do it," she commented as she dipped her fry into the ketchup container.

I scowled playfully at my friend. "And what does _that_ mean?"

The dark haired girl shrugged as she chewed thoughtfully. "You were worried about ruining the relationship between you guys so it's a bit of a surprise that you were able to go through with confessing."

"A good surprise though," Liz cut in with a wide grin, her blue eyes sparkling with joy. "Spill the details! When and where did it happen?"

I grinned back at her as warmth crept up my cheeks. Thinking back to our unofficial date always made me feel like I could grow wings and fly, as cheesy as it sounded. But it was really what I felt. "It just kind of happened during the night of the Winter Snowball. Since the two of us weren't going, Derek took me into the city and we hung out. It was a lot of fun," I breathed as I smiled at the memory of Derek awkwardly trying to skate.

"And?" Liz prompted.

I shrugged. "I kept thinking about how much I liked him but I felt that it was painful at the same time because I couldn't tell him. Like Tori said, I didn't want to screw everything up with my feelings in the way. I guess my emotions must have shown because Derek saw through me," I murmured. "I was so scared that he'd turn me down because it was just so much easier to remain as friends. But the rejection never came. Instead, he kissed me."

I blushed madly as I said the last line and hid behind my drink. Liz squealed as Tori's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "Oh my GOD! I'm so happy for you, Chloe!" Liz beamed. "Tell me, is he a good kisser?"

My gaze darted everywhere as I bit my lower lip, trying to prevent a grin from escaping. I didn't really have much experience in the field of kissing so I couldn't really compare Derek with anyone else. But I definitely enjoyed it. I doubted that Derek had any more of a background than I did, but he made up for it with his enthusiasm and passion. With one hand on my waist and the other tilting my chin up, he kissed me as though he never wanted to stop. And I returned the gesture with equal intensity.

Slowly, my grin grew until I felt my cheeks burn from the strain. Tori rolled her eyes but I could see that she was pleased too. "I think you got your answer there, Liz," she commented as her gaze met mine. "Never thought that Derek of all people could be romantic. I've always thought of him as a statue."

I stifled a laugh. "He can be sometimes," I admitted when I thought of Derek's cold appearance to the public. "But even if he doesn't always show it, Derek has a lot of emotion inside him. He... he's been through a lot when he was younger and I guess his experiences taught him to keep his feelings bottled up."

My chest seized painfully when I thought back to what Derek had told me about his childhood. How the one person he loved most in the world was cruelly taken away from him. Then the scorn and hatred from his father. Derek had spent weeks on the street as a young child, learning to trust no one until Kit had taken him in. Even then, he never shook off the feeling that Kit could abandon him just as easily as his own father did.

His world contrasted so differently from mine. The insecurity and fear that he had to deal with seemed like it could have been a nightmare for anyone. But for Derek, it was real. No matter how much his life had changed since then, Derek couldn't leave the past completely behind him. All he had to do was turn around and look at the reflection of his scars.

"Chloe?"

I snapped out of my thoughts as my gaze met Liz's worried glance. "Hm?"

"We lost you for a moment there. Is everything okay?" she questioned, her voice dropping an octave.

"S-sorry, yeah. I was just thinking," I murmured before clearing my throat. "Anyway, it just takes the right moment for Derek to show his softer side."

"Or the right person," Tori added.

I smiled. "Maybe. So, are we done here?"

Liz nodded as she rose with her tray. "Sure, let's go. I still need to get a present for Nanna. She said something the other day about needing another ball of yarn..."

. . . . . . . . . .

For the rest of the day, I spent my time wrapping the gifts that I had gotten earlier when I reached the last one: Derek's. _How am I going to get this to him?_ I wondered as I fingered the soft material. There wasn't anything wrong with giving a present after Christmas, but somehow it just felt... well, less special.

Coincidentally enough, Derek was the one who came up with the answer. I was tucked away in my room writing an essay on ambition in Macbeth when my phone rang. I'd be lying if I wasn't grateful for the interruption. My delight shot up another few notches when Derek's name came up on the screen. We had mainly kept in touch over the break by texting each other, but it was nothing compared to hearing his voice. Grinning, I picked up. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. How's it going?" His voice was low and husky and hearing it so close to my ear made my heart race.

"It's going pretty good. My dad and I are getting a lot of holiday stuff done. We had a Lord of the Rings marathon the other day while eating homemade gingerbread cookies," I replied as I rose from my chair and thumped onto my bed, the wooden supports groaning with my weight. "How about you?"

A chuckle from his side. "Sounds fun. We're doing all right too. Other than the fact that Simon burned our dinner today." A exasperated sigh as the soft whoosh of fabric crinkled beneath him. It sounded like he was lying on the bed as well. "Apparently, he was drawing in his sketchbook and forgot about the chicken in the oven so it was kinda rock solid when Dad found it."

I laughed as I pictured Simon's expression, one that was part sheepish and part horrified. "Yum. Nothing better than chicken jerky," I teased.

"You laugh now, but if you ever let him be in charge of the food, you'll regret it," Derek mumbled.

"Lesson noted."

We chatted a bit longer about random stuff like new movie releases and plans for the remainder of the break when I finally glanced at my bed side clock and blinked at the time. Derek and I had been chatting for nearly an hour. No wonder my arms were starting to feel numb. "Well, it's getting late, so I should probably go," I said as I got up from my bed.

"Before you go, are you... um..." he trailed off.

"Hm?"

Derek cleared his throat as he tried again. "...You free the day after tomorrow?"

I nodded before forgetting that he couldn't see me. "Yeah, what's up?" I asked as I quickly went through my mental list of plans and came up with nothing.

"I was wondering... if you wanted to come over and hang out for a bit. Simon's girlfriend, Kari, is coming over as well and uh, maybe the four of us could do something," Derek mumbled, sounding rather hesitant.

I smiled as he stumbled over his wording. Normally, he was confident in everything he did, but apparently not when it came to romance. It was kind of cute. "So, like a double date?"

A grunt from his end, which I took to mean yes. "Sure, sounds like fun," I said as I thought I heard a soft sigh of relief.

"Good."

Derek gave me directions to the nearest station saying that he would pick me up at one the day after tomorrow. Then we bid each other good night and hung up.

At the thought of seeing Derek again, not to mention going to _his_ house, I felt giddy as I prepared for bed. Dressed in comfy pyjamas, I climbed into bed and paused as I looked over at my room. I was so accustomed to seeing Derek's side of our room in the dorm that it was abnormal to have a space all to myself.

On the first night back, I had realized that for the first time in months, I was alone. Whenever I had bad dreams at Lyle Academy, all I had to do was look over and see the silhouette of my roommate in the moonlight. There was something tranquil about waking up with your heart racing to hear something as mundane as deep rhythmic breathing. Admittedly, having Derek around gave me a sense of security; nothing bad would happen as long as he was around. Like the nightmares would just be dreams and nothing more.

I sighed as I let my body fall gracelessly onto my bed, my head hitting the pillow with a muffled thump. It had barely been a week since I last saw Derek and yet I already miss him. Looking back to when we first met, I never would have thought that Derek would be such an important person in my life. After all, it was just a weird coincidence that all the other rooms had been full with the exception of Derek's when I transferred. But if that had never happened, then we wouldn't have gotten the chance to know each other, if at all. So without a doubt, I was glad with the way everything turned out.

With my mind at peace, I reached out and turned off my bed lamp before closing my eyes with content thoughts of the day after tomorrow.

. . . . . . . . . .

The next day passed quickly and before I knew it, I was on the train. Initially, I had felt bad about being out for most of my day with my friends instead of spending time with my dad, but it turned out that he was busy as well. By an odd twist of fate, one of my dad's higher-ups wanted to have a Christmas dinner party and my dad had to go. He knew how they bored me so it came as a relief to both of us that I had other plans and wouldn't be stuck alone at home.

For what seemed like the tenth time in the past hour, I reached into my bag and felt for Simon's and Derek's Christmas presents, feeling relieved when I felt the familiar gift wrapping. Finally, the train came to a stop. As the doors opened, a crowd of people got off onto the platform and I hurried after them, not wanting to be the last one behind.

It was my first time being in this area but following the crowd seemed like a better idea than getting lost. I shifted my bag as I glanced at the blur of shops lining the hallway, hoping to see the familiar silhouette of my roommate. When I didn't see him, I stifled the stab of disappointment and continued on.

At one of the junctions, a talented violinist was playing a medley from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The vibrations of the strings resonated through the hallway as he played, his fingers moving gracefully down the fingerboard. In front of him was an open case filled with various amounts of change and without hesitation, I slipped my hand into my pockets and made a contribution. The violinist gave me a smile and I returned it before climbing the stairs to the main galleria.

Upstairs, there was just as many people milling about. The aroma of coffee from one of the nearby cafes filled the air and I had to swallow the urge to buy a mocha. I was passing one of the many boutiques when I finally saw him standing next to a beautifully lit Christmas tree in the middle of the open space. My heart sped up at the sight of him. His features were illuminated by the soft light as he scanned the crowd looking for me.

And then our eyes met.

A small crooked smile crossed his face and his emerald eyes lit up. Without a further thought, I crossed the galleria and greeted him with a hug.

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><p><strong>AN: Initially, the double date was supposed to happen in this chapter but then it would have been way too long and the pacing would have been a little strange, so I put it off until the next chapter. I promise that it'll be a fun one to make up for this filler-type of a chapter. We're almost at the end, with two more chapters to go! I won't give much away, but let's say there's one more hurdle to Derek's and Chloe's relationship and it will be revealed in the next chapter. ;) I'll most likely be doing a special bonus chapter in Derek's POV from one of the events that has occurred in this fanfic to celebrate the end, so you can definitely look forward to that when it comes. **

**Last but not least, if you haven't voted, I put up a poll on my profile asking which type of story you guys would be interested in the most for my next Chlerek fanfic. So if you like, please check it out and select an option. I'm already starting to plot the next one and it's been a fun process. Anyway, please look forward to the next one!**

**P.S. Happy Valentine's Day!  
><strong>


	29. Night of Lights

**A/N: Hi everyone! Yay, I finally updated in less than a month. That hasn't happened in so long with everything going on in my life. Hopefully, I can finish this story sometime within the next two weeks in time for my 20th birthday! That will be a cool way to celebrate haha. Thanks for all of the great feedback on the last chapter. Sometimes, when my days aren't that great, reading them will make me feel a lot better, so everyone, thank you so much!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers**

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><p><strong>Chapter 29: Night of Lights<strong>

Derek lifted me off my feet as I buried my face against his warm solid chest. I inhaled his familiar pine forest scent and my heart thudded painfully against my rib cage. It had been more than a week since we had been separated and the sight of him warmed me from the inside, as though I had sipped a steaming cup of hot chocolate. "I've missed you," I mumbled into his jacket.

Derek's arms tightened around me before setting me back on my feet again. "Same here," he rumbled, releasing me slowly.

Stepping back, I looked into his brilliant green eyes and held my breath. Normally, there was an air of wariness around him which made his irises remind me of sharp glass, but now, he was completely at ease, his eyes gentler than I have ever seen them.

His entire face was aglow with happiness and it made him look younger and more carefree. Although I liked many sides of Derek, I had to admit that I loved this expression the most. It showed that he cared deeply for me and for once, he let his guard down. Noticing my stare, Derek raised an eyebrow. "What?"

I broke out of my trance and smiled, like someone with a secret. "Nothing."

He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation that was ruined by the twitch of his lips in suppressing a smile. "Anyway, we should get going. Simon and Kari are probably waiting," he said.

"Okay."

Holding hands, we left the station and made our way to where Derek had parked the van about a block away. "I didn't know you could drive," I commented as I climbed into the shotgun position of the Acura.

Derek turned the key in ignition and shortly after, the vehicle hummed to life. He turned on the heater and gave me an amused look. "Of course. You didn't think that we would walk, did you?"

"Well, no... How far away do you live from the station anyway?"

My roommate shrugged as he glanced in the rear view mirror before manoeuvring the van onto the lane. "If you drive, it's a little less than 15 minutes. If you walk, it's more like 40 minutes and probably add on another 10 minutes with the snow," he answered as he drove.

Sure enough, after a dozen or so minutes, we were winding through the residential area. The houses were moderately sized with sufficient yards that separated themselves from their neighbours. With a tree-lined road, it looked like a peaceful area that would be beautiful in the warmer seasons. But for now, everything was covered with about half a foot of powdery snow. Finally, the van slowed to a crawl and Derek placed the gear into park. He nodded at the house in front of us. "It's not much, but it's home," Derek admitted.

I glanced out the window at the cute little cottage made out of cobblestone. It had two floors with a large illuminated window facing the living room. Rocks of various sizes lined the driveway while small snow covered shrubs were planted along the wall. A large bare weeping willow sat in the the front yard, casting long shadows on the snow. Even though I had not yet stepped into the house, it gave off a warm and welcome feeling.

Turning to face him, I grinned. "I love it."

He returned my smile before unbuckling the seat belt and opening the vehicle door. "Come on, let's go in."

Feeling vivacious, I slid out after him. His house was a pleasant contrast to the cool temperature outside and Derek kicked off his boots before placing them neatly on the shoe rack. "I'm back," he called out as I did the same with mine.

A few seconds later, a patter of footsteps echoed down the hall before stopping in front of us. I glanced over to see a grinning Simon as well as a pretty brunette standing at his side. "Hey Chloe. How's it going?" Simon greeted.

"It's going all right. Beats school by a long shot," I answered.

Derek rolled his eyes as he tossed the keys into a bowl, his aim spot on. "School's not that bad," he mumbled.

"Of course it isn't when you're a genius," the brunette replied cheerfully, her voice a musical lilt. "But for the rest of us normal people, school's pretty dreadful."

"I keep telling you that I'm not a genius, but apparently, it's not sinking in," Derek grumbled.

The girl shrugged. "I don't know... taking math and science college courses while being in high school pretty much qualifies as being a genius," she said before turning to me with a fresh smile. "By the way, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Karina, but I go by 'Kari'."

She was tall and slender and wore her chocolate-brown hair in a ponytail. Judging from her poise, I suspected that she was also an athlete. Kari placed her hand out and I shook it. "I'm Chloe," I greeted. "So, you're Simon's girlfriend, right?"

Kari grinned as she punched Simon in the arm, making him wince. "Yup. The three of us have known each other ever since elementary school, but it took Simon until a few months ago to confess."

Her boyfriend gave her a dry look, but it was ruined by the good humour in his eyes. "And sometimes I regret it."

Kari's mouth dropped open in mock astonishment as she moved to swat him. Predicting her move, Simon side stepped her. Derek sighed at their antics as he waved for us to move away from the front door. "Ignore the children, Chloe. I'll give you the house tour."

Like I had initially thought, Derek and Simon's house was very warm and cozy. And I didn't mean just the temperature either. You could usually tell what a family is like by the way their house feels. There were pictures of the guys and their dad throughout the house, each immortalizing a moment in time. There were pictures of the guys as kids opening their presents during Christmas, at a basketball game and many others. For three guys, it was strangely clean, but given Derek's orderliness in our dorm, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The only messy area was Simon's room, who defended himself from his brother's chiding. "I don't see why I have to put stuff away when I'm just going to need later," Simon said, gesturing to his open sketchbooks and the various pencils scattered on the floor.

Derek only shook his head in exasperation before concluding the tour. "So, what next?" Kari asked.

Simon glanced out the window for a moment before turning to us. "How about a snowball fight? We can go in the woods," he suggested.

I followed his gaze and blinked at the surrounding forest beyond Derek and Simon's backyard. I looked up at Derek. "You never said you had a forest," I commented as he shrugged.

"It's not a big deal. We've lived here for so long that we take it for granted," he replied. "So, how about we add a challenge? We can divide into teams; Simon and Kari versus Chloe and me. Winning team gets to gloat for the rest of the day while being served hot chocolate by the losing team."

A wicked look gleamed in Simon's brown eyes. "Challenge accepted."

We headed out into the forest through the guys' backyard and closed the latch on the fence behind us. The forest was even bigger up close. I blew warm air into my chilled hands as we walked down the path. "We used to play in here a lot when we were younger," Simon told me as the snow crunched beneath our feet.

Kari smiled. "Everything from Hide and Seek to Capture the Flag. There's usually a bunch of hikers in the evening with their dogs, but during the day, there isn't a lot of people around, which makes it perfect for us."

After another few minutes, Derek found an area and deemed it "good enough". Simon and Kari set off into the woods to prepare and Derek waved me up the hill. "We'll be able to see them easier if we're on higher grounds," he explained as he stepped off the path and into the fresh snow. "Not to mention that it'll be harder for them to get to us."

Cautiously, I followed him, but my foot gave way more than once and I barely caught myself. After the second time, Derek held out his hand. "Here, hold onto me."

Grateful, I grabbed onto his hand and he helped me up the slope. "So, how does this work? Do we just throw snowballs at each other?" I panted when we finally stopped.

A nod. "Pretty much. Whichever team gets hit the most loses. So, it's important to stay low and hidden. Only strike when you think you have a clear shot. Never throw just one because probability-wise, your opponent is more likely to see the first one and dodge it. But chances are that your second and third shots will hit." Derek murmured softly as he began making the ammo.

"Sounds like you've done this before."

"Yeah. Though it was usually unfair because Kari and Simon would team up against me," said Derek with a small crooked smile. "But now I got you on my side and I can take my revenge."

I laughed as I added my contribution to the growing snowball pile. "Sounds good."

After another few minutes, I noticed the slightest of movements and caught a flash of brown hair. Immediately, I felt Derek shift beside me. "Here they come," he breathed.

A second later, Derek stepped out of his hiding place and threw snowball after snowball. I took his lead and followed suit. Cries of surprise and annoyance rang through the air as we unloaded our ammo on them. To my pleasure, I managed to hit Simon with a few of my shots. Then almost as quickly, Simon and Kari disappeared from our view. Derek ducked behind the tree and made more snowballs. "We had the advantage since we took them by surprise, but now it'll be a little more even," he panted slightly as he gathered up his supplies.

When we restocked some more, Derek waved for us to advance. We ran down the slope and chucked the snowballs as we went, trying to dodge the ones that came flying at us. Soon, it became an unorganized war of snowball-throwing. I got a few in the face, but after the surprise wore off, I took revenge. We fought in the open and let the trees shield us, our shrieks and laughter ringing through the air. The temperature was still freezing, but I didn't feel it with all the movement going on.

However, as the fight went on, I learned that wearing a bright red coat in the middle of a snowy background wasn't the best idea. It was like flashing a neon sign that said quite enthusiastically, "Hit me!" Derek seemed to realize this as well because he would shield me whenever Kari and Simon targeted me.

During one severe attack, he lunged and hit me with a football tackle, sending both of us crashing into the snow. It was pretty amusing to see how far the guys were taking this game. It was almost like a life or death situation. Even Simon did some crazy manoeuvring to avoid a wave of snowballs.

As Kari raced towards me with an armful of snowballs, I began jogging backwards while keeping an eye on her. However, what I didn't realize was that my way was blocked. With an _oomph_, I collided into a very solid tree. The shock of hitting something blinded me for a moment before I felt something wet and icy come raining down on me. I let out a surprised yelp as snow was shoved down my jacket, the coldness biting against my skin.

"Chloe!" multiple voices called out in unison as I gracelessly fumbled to dig my way out of the pile of snow that had buried me.

A hand reached forward and grabbed my arm, nearly pulling it out of its socket. I lurched forward and stumbled to get my footing. Strong hands held me steady to keep my legs from buckling under me. I looked up to see familiar green eyes glistening with concern. "Chloe, are you okay?" Derek breathed, his face dark with worry.

"F-f-fine." I couldn't keep my teeth from chattering. "J-just c-c-c-cold!"

Derek brushed leftover snow from my hair and turned to the others. "We need to go back. Now," he commanded, his tone sharp.

On the edge of my peripheral vision, Simon nodded. "Right, I'll head back and get the fireplace going," he said as he raced off, snow flying behind him.

The five minute walk back felt like an hour with soaked clothing in freezing weather. Kari murmured apologies along the way while Derek kept a reassuring arm around me to keep me going. Finally, we trekked through the guys' backyard and entered the house through the kitchen door.

I was grateful for the whoosh of warm air that greeted me and my shivering lessened a little. The smell of ashes and fire filled my nose as Derek led me past the kitchen. "I'll get started on the hot chocolate," Kari offered as I gave her a wan smile.

"T-thanks."

Gently, Derek took my arm again and brought me into his room. I stood in his doorway, not wanting to drip water on the carpet as I watched him throw his closet door open. The clinking sounds of coat hangers were heard as Derek rummaged through his clothes. Trying to take my mind off my less than pleasant state, I scanned his room.

As expected, his walls were bare and his room was organized in a very Derek-like manner. A complicated-looking apparatus with a bunch of pulleys and ramps sat on his desk. I hoped it was for one of his college level courses because it looked like it was something beyond my ability to replicate if I decided to take a science class for an elective next year. Attached to the wall closest to me, thick textbooks and hard cover novels (non-fiction of course) were arranged alphabetically on his shelves. On a closer look, they all had something to do with either science or astronomy, Derek's aspiration. However, as my eyes drifted down the row of books, my gaze lingered on a single photo frame at the end of the shelf.

I forgot about being cold and reached for the polaroid print. Gently, I lifted it off its sitting place and studied it carefully. The edges of the photo had faint splotches of water stains and there were small tears and creases throughout that were meticulously mended with scotch tape. It was a picture that had been through a lot and without a doubt, I knew that this had to be the photo that Derek had taken with him when he ran away from home.

In the picture was a beautifully young woman with midnight black hair and light blue eyes. The look of love and joy was evident on her face as she had her arms around a boy no older than 4 years. The child looked just as happy as he beamed at the camera, unaware that everything would turn for the worse shortly after. Derek had told me that even prior to his mother's death, he wasn't close to his biological father. But there was no way he could have had that expression if Zachary Cain had been the photographer... so who-?

"-It was taken at a park by a stranger."

Startled, I spun to see Derek looking at the photo with an air of sadness. His eyes were distant as though he was looking into a memory, one that he'll never live through again. "We were at a park for my birthday and my mom let me feed the ducks. A photographer had noticed us and asked if he could take a picture. Agreeing, we let him and when the man saw the resulting photo, he said that it was good one and that we should keep it instead," he rumbled softly. "It was the last birthday I spent with my mom."

The back of my throat ached as I handed the picture frame back to Derek. My cheeks burned in shame as I realized belatedly that I shouldn't have picked up something so private without his permission. This feeling of ignominy bit harder at me than the freezing snow had done moments earlier. "I-I'm sorry," I stammered. "I shouldn't have touched it without asking you first."

Derek shook his head at my apology. "Don't be. Nobody has seen it other than Simon and my dad. Not even Kari," he said as he set the photograph back on the shelf. "You're the only one. And I'm glad that it is you."

I glanced back at the smiling pair. "She seemed like a great mom," I murmured quietly.

That brought out a small somber smile from Derek. "Yeah, she was," he replied. Then he cleared his throat as he lifted his hand which held a hoodie. "Well, uh... you should probably get changed before you get sick."

"Right. Thanks."

I accepted the hoodie and ducked into the bathroom to change. I peeled off my damp sweater and t-shirt, leaving my dry tank top on and wore Derek's Nike hoodie on top. It was a dark blue though it had been washed to the point that some of the colour's intensity had faded to a more subdued hue. Nevertheless, it was soft and cozy, only achievable by being well-worn. The hoodie was smaller than Derek's other clothes but it was still huge on me. The sleeves went well past my finger tips and I had to roll them up a few times. I quickly towel dried my slightly damp hair and when I was satisfied with my appearance, I left the bathroom.

To my surprise, I found Derek waiting outside. I was awarded with a small crooked smile when he saw me. "It's a little big, but it looks good on you," he commented as he gave me a once over.

I flushed, pleased. "Thanks."

With one last lingering glance, Derek took my damp clothes and headed down to run the dryer before joining us in the living room.

As the losing team in our snowball war, Simon and Kari made the hot chocolate. It was complete with whipped cream and marshmallows, the perfect treat for a snowy day. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing Monopoly when Kit came home with pizza. After greeting us, he mentioned a case that he was currently buried in and apologized for his absence before heading into the study.

The evening came and went as we continued our game. By that point, there were hotels and houses on most of the properties, which made the game all the more riskier. I breathed with relief as I barely managed to evade Simon's yellow estate. "Yes! I'm going to jail!" I exclaimed as I cheerfully moved my icon to the prison space.

Simon groaned. "Argh! So close. You would've owed me $1200."

I laughed. "You bankrupted Kari and you're still not satisfied?" I teased as Kari rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

Simon grinned. "Nope. You can never be satisfied in Monopoly until you dominate the board and-" he paused as he watched Derek grimace and move his symbol onto New York Avenue. "-Hell yeah! Cough it up, bro."

Derek gave his brother a dry look that would have sent most people cowering, but Simon only stuck his hands out, waiting to be paid. With a reluctant sigh, Derek handed over a pile of coloured paper and the game resumed. Another hour later, we decided to end Monopoly and deemed Simon as the victor.

It was getting late and as I lifted my bag off the kitchen chair, I felt the weights of the guys' presents and gave it to them before leaving. Simon grinned upon receiving the present despite not opening it just yet. There were still two days before Christmas, so he had to wait a little while longer. In return, he also gave me a small rectangular wrapped package. The paper was decorated by the cartoon characters that I had often seen him draw during art class. Judging by the size and weight of the gift, I knew that it was a movie. And I couldn't wait to see what he had chosen for me.

Derek smiled that crooked smile of his upon getting his gift and murmured softly that he would give mine in just a little bit.

My heart sped up a little at the anticipation. There was something about delayed gratification that made the wait all the more rewarding. Whatever it is that Derek had planned, I was sure that I would love it. Derek went down to the laundry room to retrieve my clothes from the dryer and came back shortly after with a plastic bag in hand. I took it from him. "Thanks, I guess I'll go and change back," I said as I glanced down at the hoodie that I was wearing.

I turned in the direction of the bathroom when Derek shook his head. "It's okay. You can keep the hoodie. You'll miss your train if we're late," he replied.

I frowned in confusion as I mentally ran through the train schedule. There was about 40 minutes until I had to be on the platform and Derek had mentioned earlier that driving to the station only took 15 or so minutes. But then I shrugged it off. After all, it was better to the early than late. "Alright. Thanks," I said as I buttoned my jacket over top of the hoodie.

I exchanged goodbyes and well wishes with Simon and Kari before leaving the house with Derek. It had snowed lightly while we were inside and the new blanket of snow crunched underneath our boots. I shivered as a breeze of frigid air brushed past us and hunched my shoulders against the dropping temperature. Derek noticed my actions and sped up his pace to the van.

Once inside, he cranked on the heater and I gratefully placed my cold hands on the radiator. Derek hesitated for a moment before reaching behind his seat and taking out a plain gift bag. "I got this for you. It'd probably be more of use to you now rather than later, so go ahead and open it," he murmured as he held out the present.

I blinked in surprise as I accepted the gift and took out the tissue paper, one piece at a time. Strangely enough, the bag seemed to be filled with the material as I took out the eighth piece. Derek must have guessed what I was thinking because he looked comically sheepish under the Acura's dome light. "Sorry, I'm not very good at gift wrapping," he admitted as I smiled in response.

A few more pieces later, I got a glimpse of my present beneath the tissue paper and held them out in the light. It was a matching set of gloves and a scarf. They were light grey in colour and had small white polar bears printed on them. "They're so cute! Thanks, Derek!" I exclaimed as I took the tag off the gloves and slipped them on.

"I remember you saying that you had lost your previous pair, so I thought that these would be practical," Derek said, looking pleased.

My smile grew into a grin. "Very practical. I love them!" I held up my gloved hands to show him.

Derek let out a rumbling chuckle. "Good."

I settled comfortably into my seat and he drove off. A handful of minutes later, Derek pulled over to the side of a residential neighbourhood. I glanced around, seeing nothing but houses. "We're not here already, are we?" I questioned as I peered at my roommate.

"Not yet, but I have another surprise for you," Derek said as he tugged his key out of the ignition.

I raised my brows in surprise. "Really? What is it?"

Derek answered my question with a smile as he slipped out of the van. "It's outside. Come on."

Curious to see where this was going, I followed after him. The temperature was still freezing, but I didn't feel it as much when we held hands, our fingers entwining. Our breath froze in the air, wisps of white particles being suspended before melting and joining the atmosphere.

"So, where are we going?" I asked as I saw Derek laugh. "_What_?"

He glanced over at me, amused. "I was wondering how long it'd take for you to ask," he answered as he grinned.

I guess I should be somewhat annoyed that I was being made fun of, but seeing Derek in high spirits was something that I loved seeing, so I forgave him. "Anyway," he continued. "We're almost there. It's just around the corner."

And around the corner it was. I didn't understand what the surprise could be until I looked ahead and gasped.

There were lights everywhere.

Christmas lights in all colours illuminated the neighbourhood. They hung on roofs, trees, shrubs and fences of nearly every house in the area. The lawns became the home of a multitude of decorations and inflatable objects. One particular front yard had a saluting Santa robot as well as 9 reindeer made up of white lights. Every possible thing you could think of related to Christmas was here in this neighbourhood. Heck, even one of the houses was decorated to look like a gingerbread house, complete with a plastic candy cane fence. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.

"Wow," I breathed softly as I blinked at the sight in front of me. "It's so pretty."

"Yeah. This neighbourhood in particular gets really into it during this time of the year. They try to outdo one another and there's something new added every year," Derek explained. "On the downside, I hear they often get blackouts from all the electricity they use."

I laughed, unable to peel my eyes away from the winter wonderland in front of me. "It's still amazing to look at," I said softly before turning to look at Derek. "Thanks for showing me this."

He bent so that we were only inches from each other. "It was worth it to see your expression. You looked so happy," he murmured. "After everything that you've done for me, I wanted to do something for you for a change."

Slowly, I placed my gloved hand against the side of his face as I looked into his beautiful emerald eyes. With the light around us, they seemed brighter than before. "Having you with me is more than good enough. After all, it's _you_ that makes me happy," I whispered as I tilted my face up and pressed my lips against his.

He moved his mouth against mine, slow and sweet. His hands were wrapped my waist, bringing me closer. Derek's warmth chased away the winter chill as he kissed me deeply enough to send my mind spinning.

When we finally broke apart to regain our breath, Derek looked at me, the softness of his gaze making my heart flutter. I smiled shyly at him, my cheeks warm. He looked at me wordlessly for another moment longer before a distant honking in the background caught his attention. Snapping back to reality, Derek glanced at the time on his phone before meeting my eyes again. "We should get going. The station is only a few minutes away," he said.

"Okay."

Like earlier, Derek pulled the van close to the station and walked me down to the fare gates. I had a few minutes to spare before my train's arrival. I stood facing my boyfriend while he rested his hands lightly on my waist. "I had a good time today," I said.

The corner of Derek's mouth lifted into a half smile. "You mean other than crashing into a tree and having a pile of snow come raining down on you?" he challenged.

I shrugged sheepishly, embarrassed by my clumsiness. "Yeah, other than _that_, it was fun," I clarified. "Thanks for tonight. It was amazing."

Derek slid his arms around me, bringing me in for a solid hug. "You're welcome," he mumbled against my hair. Then he sighed. "You should probably go. You don't want to miss the train."

I inhaled his forest pine scent and reluctantly stepped out of his arms, already missing his warmth. "Yeah," I said dejectedly.

Derek kissed the top of my head. "We'll see each other soon," he rumbled as I nodded. "Until then, Merry Christmas."

I smiled. "Merry Christmas to you too, Derek," I replied, earning myself a small smile.

With one last glance at him, I bid him goodnight and went to catch my train.

. . . . . . . . . .

The next week came and went quickly. Christmas was a peaceful day of hanging out with my dad and exchanging presents. We had dinner as a family, complete with Aunt Lauren. My dad and my aunt didn't always get along, so it was nice to see everyone together for the holidays.

Another few days passed and before I knew it, it was time to head back to Lyle Academy. I hugged my dad as he dropped me off at the school, complete with a suitcase full of my stuff from home. He was staying in the area for the next little bit so he promised that he would visit me more often, which was something I was looking forward to. After one last goodbye, I watched as his car backed out of the parking lot and disappear out of view before taking a hold of my luggage and entering my dorm.

Life on campus went back to normal after everyone came back from wherever they went. The bliss from winter break slowly faded within the next few days as classes resumed. I was delighted to see everyone again, but most of all, I liked coming back to my room and see the way Derek's lips would curve into a smile whenever he welcomed me back.

As the start of a new year, I had made a list of resolutions that I wanted to keep. One of them was to go jogging at least once during the weekend to sort of make up for my lifetime of inactivity. Of course, Derek took this as an opportunity to finally get a running partner. The downside was that he liked to go for a run in the early hours of the morning. I, on the other hand, did not.

On the first Saturday morning back, he waited impatiently at the foot of my bed. "Come on, Chloe. Time to get up," he said as I tugged my covers over my head.

"Nrrrgh," I groaned unintelligibly, hoping that he would just leave me alone and go for his jog.

An exasperated sigh. "You said that you wanted to be more active this year," he reminded me.

I gave another groan in response. "Sleep. I'm asleep," I mumbled as I buried my head under the pillow.

There was a moment of silence and my sleepy brain wondered if he decided to go alone after all when an invisible force yanked on my blankets, bringing in unwelcome cold air. Immediately, I voiced my displeasure and curled up into fetal position, trying to conserve my warmth. "You're awake. Now get up." Derek's tone said that he was serious.

I had hoped that his resolve would waver before mine did, but in the end, I got up with great reluctance and joined him on the track.

About an hour later, we were back in our room, washing up for breakfast. We fought for the bathroom using rock-paper-scissors and I ended up going in first. While I waited for Derek, I sorted out my laundry and added today's work out clothes to the pile, making a note to run the laundry machine later. Shortly after, Derek emerged from our shared bathroom wearing only a pair of sweats and a towel draped over one shoulder.

I would be lying if I told you that I didn't stare. It was pretty hard not to, even though this wasn't the first time I saw him shirtless. As expected, he was solidly built with muscles in all the right places. His abs, for lack of a better word, were beautiful. They weren't quite up to a level of a six pack, but they were well defined. Thankfully, he was too busy towel-drying his hair to notice me gaping at him.

As he turned his back to me, angry scars were visible against his muscular flesh and I thought about how far we had progressed since the moment we first became roommates. Before he had told me about his past, Derek was self conscious enough about his scars that he never went shirtless around me, but now, with the truth in the open between us, that tension around him faded.

Suddenly, a knock startled me from my thoughts. Derek turned in the direction of the door but continued to dry his hair. "It's probably Simon coming to get us for breakfast," he said. "Tell him to give us a few seconds."

I rose from my chair and answered the door. "Hey Simon. We'll be out in a-" I stopped as the door swung open to reveal my visitor. "-sec."

My heart froze as I stared at the person in front of me.

It was Aunt Lauren.

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><p><strong>AN: Dun dun dun! Some of you probably saw it coming, but it was inevitable. One of Chloe's guardians finally realizes that Chloe's been rooming with a guy! How scandalous! (le gasp) What do you think is going to happen? Well, you'll find out soon (I hope) in the next and FINAL chapter! Oh my god. We are almost done. But don't worry, I'll be doing a bonus chapter in Derek's POV once this is all over, so you can look forward to that too. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it and I'll see you guys next time!**


	30. My Resolution

**A/N: Hi everyone! As promised, the final chapter as a gift from me to you to celebrate my 20th birthday! Hope you'll enjoy this last official chapter! **

**PS. Please read the author's note at the end of this chapter**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 30: My Resolution<strong>

I stood rooted to the floor at the sight of my aunt in my doorway. My mind blanked out as my heart beat started to pound so loudly that I could hear it roaring in my head. I tried to make my mouth work, but I couldn't get anything out. My aunt took a look at my expression and gave me an understanding smile. "I guess you didn't see the text I sent you, huh?" she questioned.

I stared at her as some conscious part of my brain racked through the last time I had checked my phone. It had been the night before I went to bed. Normally, I would also check it after I woke up, wanting to see if I had missed anything, but with the jog this morning, I had completely forgotten. When I didn't answer, my aunt moved on. "Well, anyway, I wanted to take you out to breakfast and the secretary here... what was her name again?" she fumbled for a moment before remembering.

"I think it was Mrs. Talbot. She gave me a visitor's pass and sent me-" her gaze drifted over my head and her smile froze as something caught her attention. "-here."

With my heart threatening to burst out of my rib cage, I turned slowly, knowing what -or rather who- had caused the stunned expression on Aunt Lauren's face. In my room, Derek looked equally shocked as he stared at the open doorway, his damp towel draped around his neck. It was then that my mind decided to snap back to reality, piecing all the things together. Although I was still slightly confused, one thing was crystal clear.

My secret was out.

And I was screwed. So very badly screwed.

You would think it couldn't get any worse, but it did. Derek was shirtless. And in my room in the wee hours of the morning. I could definitely imagine what sort of conclusion Aunt Lauren came to.

Her mouth hung open in shock and growing horror as she took in the scene. In any other situation, I would have found this to be almost comical. There were two reasons. One: Hardly anything ever fazed my aunt; she had seen enough vomit, blood and death in her career as a doctor. And two: I was pretty sure I had the same expression only seconds ago. However, there was nothing funny about this situation. Even less so when my aunt snapped out of it.

"OH MY GOD!"

Both Derek and I winced at the volume of her voice. Aunt Lauren stood there in the doorway, crazed-eyed as she pointed a shaking finger at my roommate. "Y-y-you!" she stammered as her mouth opened and closed soundlessly.

I held my hands out, approaching her slowly as though she was a startled animal. "Just calm down, Aunt-"

She brushed past me as she marched all five foot four of her towards my roommate. "Y-you... you monster!" she shrieked as Derek stared at her, bewildered. "She's _only_ sixteen and you-"

"-It's not what you think!" I yelled, making her jump.

Aunt Lauren spun to look at me, a whirl of emotion swirling in her eyes. Confusion, alarm, anger and disgust. It was the last one that I felt the most. "C-chloe?" her voice sounded small and lost.

I closed my eyes as I waged my mental war. Growing up with a deceased mother and a father who was constantly away, Aunt Lauren was like a parent to me. Whenever I had an event going on, like school plays, parent-teacher conferences or gymnastic tournaments, I could always count on my mother's sister to be there. She loved me and I loved her just as much.

Now I was about to hurt her by revealing that I had lied about my situation here at Lyle Academy. But there was no other choice; it had to be done.

I took a shuddering breath and silently counted to five before looking my aunt in the eye. "I lied to you about rooming alone," I explained reluctantly as I slid a glance at Derek's solemn expression. "Derek's actually my roommate."

Aunt Lauren stared at me, her brows furrowed in confusion as though she had heard me wrong. "He's your roommate?" she repeated slowly as her eyes darted to my roommate for a fraction of a second before meeting my gaze again.

I swallowed thickly as I nodded, confirming her question. The disbelief and betrayal shown on her face felt like daggers stabbing through my heart as the truth sunk in. It wasn't like I had never told a lie in my life, but after a stern lecture from my aunt about deception, I had promised to always tell her the truth. And I had kept it until now.

Aunt Lauren tried unsuccessfully to recover from the blow. "H-how did you end up in this room?" she questioned.

"When I transferred here, Mrs. Talbot told me that all of the rooms were filled up, except for Derek's. So I agreed," I explained.

My aunt closed her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose, a sign that she was exasperated. "You're here to have a good experience while living on campus, Chloe. You should have refused. Or even better, called me."

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal."

"Of course it is! You're-!" my aunt cut herself off as a curious murmur was heard in the hallway.

I peeked out of the doorway to see most of my floor's residents hanging outside, hanging onto our every word as if we were a drama playing out for them to see. My cheeks warmed as I met a few ogling faces. My aunt seemed to realize this too because she sent a glare to the unlucky few who were close enough to see it. "This is not a public matter," she snapped as a few mumbled apologies were heard before the crowd dispersed.

Satisfied that we were no longer being gawked at, my aunt turned back to face us. "We will discuss this in further detail elsewhere. First, I must contact Lyle Academy's administration. It's about time I took matter into my own hands," she declared.

A glance in my direction. "I'll also be calling your father. After all, it was him that agreed to let you attend this school." Then under her breath, she muttered, "And yet another terrible decision, Steven. Well done."

I felt the urge to defend my father. To say that it was unfair that he was getting blamed, especially since I was the one who wanted to come here and he let me, knowing that it'd make me happy. But I felt my aunt's infuriated mood and I knew better than to speak up. It would only make things worse.

After a few more orders, Aunt Lauren dismissed Derek and me to get breakfast, saying that she'll call us again when it was time. Wordlessly, we headed down to the cafeteria, trying to ignore the pointed looks and whispers around us when we walked to our usual table. Simon joined us a few seconds later. "I heard the commotion," he piped up as he slid onto the bench. "You guys okay?"

I shrugged, feeling too miserable to answer. Beside me, Derek grunted in response. Liz was in the process of cutting up her waffles when she felt the heavy tension and stopped. "What happened?" she asked, her eyes wary.

I sighed as I set down my utensils, not feeling so hungry anymore. "My aunt stopped by and found out that I was rooming with a guy for the past four months and that I had lied about it," I mumbled unhappily.

Tori frowned. "Well, damn. But you have to say that it was going to happen sooner or later," she replied as someone kicked her underneath the table. She sent a glare in Simon's direction. "_What_? It's true."

He gave her a look. "Maybe. But it doesn't mean you have to say it like that."

Tori flipped him the finger and resumed eating. I stared at the gooey mess that was supposed to be pancakes. The cafeteria lady had once again dumped more than enough maple syrup on top of them, drowning the meal. Even the sausages on the side were coated in the sugary liquid. It didn't look very appetizing.

Beside me, Derek had a similar meal, but he had the foresight to tell the lady that he wanted his maple syrup in a sauce container instead. However, he was eating with less zeal than normal. My mood dropped as I wondered what Derek thought about my lie. Did he think I was embarrassed of people knowing that I was rooming with him? Oh god, I hoped not. I didn't think that it was Derek that I was rooming with that had my aunt so ticked, but rather that I was rooming with the opposite gender. That, and the fact that I didn't tell her the truth either.

"You okay?" Derek murmured softly as he glanced down at my uneaten food. "You were hungry earlier."

I sighed again. "Not anymore," I replied as I turned to face him. "The reason I lied to my aunt about us rooming together is because I knew that she would freak out about me living together with a guy. Not because I'm ashamed of being with you or anything because I'm not. Quite the opposite really. I couldn't have asked for a better roommate and I-"

Derek squeezed my hand reassuringly, cutting off my string of babbles. He gave me a small crooked smile that made my heart flutter like it always did. "I know. Whatever happens, we'll find a way to work through it, so don't worry," he murmured softly.

I entwined my fingers with his and returned his smile, feeling a little better. Derek was always like that. No matter how crappy the situation was, he always found a way to get through it. Derek would stand on his own two feet and take the challenge face on, instead of burying his head in the sand. It wasn't in his character to give in so easily without a fight. And neither was it in mine.

When Aunt Lauren summoned us to the office, I entered the room to find my dad, Kit, the principal and the secretary sitting around a large table used for faculty meetings. I wasn't too surprised to see Kit there, even though it was a four hour round trip for him. Anything that involved his sons involved him too. My dad greeted me with a smile as he motioned for Derek and me to sit on the other side of the table, facing the adults.

I stole a glance at my dad's content but slightly confused expression and felt my heart sink. He didn't know what this matter was about. On my way here, I had been hoping that Aunt Lauren had explained it to him. To give him time to receive an unwelcome shock and recover from it. But instead, I would be seeing the disappointment and the hurt that was inevitable.

Aunt Lauren closed the door behind us and took her place next to my dad. "Thank you all for coming here on such short notice. I'm sure you all have plans on a Saturday morning, but this matter is one that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible," she started as she glanced from face to face before resting on Mr. Davidoff.

Mr. Davidoff was a man who had not aged well. He was a stick-thin, tall man whose lined face made him appear older than he really was. With a balding head, it was evident that he tried to conceal his lack of hair with a comb over, but it made the fact stand out even more. However, no one would dare mention this to him because as principal of the school, he had all the power. Mr. Davidoff readjusted his ever-slipping glasses and leaned back into his chair with a weary breath, as though he had seen enough parents and guardians come to him with complaints.

"Very well. And what is this 'matter' that is so urgent?" he questioned.

My nails dug into the soft flesh of my palm as I braced for what was going to happen next. The truth that will be revealed. It was going to be painful. Even more than the sting that I was feeling in my hands. A hand brushed over mine, making me jump a little in my seat. I turned to look at Derek, whose emerald green eyes seem to say that everything would be okay. He gave my hand a small squeeze out of sight before letting go. I shot him a grateful look and he nodded before giving his attention to those around us.

I glanced around the table, but no one seemed to have noticed the exchange because they were too busy looking intently at my aunt. She cleared her throat. "I came earlier today to take my niece-" her eyes darted to me before looking at the rest of the audience. "-out to breakfast when I discovered that Chloe has been living with a boy for the past four months. _This _boy."

The way Aunt Lauren's lips twisted in disgust infuriated me. She gestured towards Derek as though he was some piece of rotting meat, unworthy of being named. Maybe it was because she found out the hard way that we were living together, but I suddenly got the feeling that she wouldn't have spoken about him like that if it had been Nate or Simon, the cutest guys in our school. And that made me madder because she took one look at Derek and immediately thought of him as garbage.

However, my anger was soon forgotten when a sharp intake of air was heard across the table. I was all too painfully aware that it had come from my dad. Reluctantly, I raised my eyes to see my dad watching me. Like with Aunt Lauren, surprise and confusion flickered on his face, as well as disbelief. His gaze travelled from my face to Derek's, as though he was trying to see the invisible connection we had but couldn't.

Next to him, Kit remained silent; his expression was impassive at my aunt's revelation. After all, he had already known when Derek had first introduced me to his dad during Parents' Day. However, I noticed that he had frowned slightly at Aunt Lauren's tone.

"I was assured that not only would Chloe's education at Lyle Academy be one of the best in the state, but also that she would be safe and comfortable here. This situation that we have here is making me doubt the school and its authorities," Aunt Lauren remarked.

"We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience that it brought you, but when Chloe transferred in the middle of September last year, there was no more rooms available," Mrs. Talbot explained. "The only space left was in room C305, which had a male resident."

"That is unacceptable!" my aunt exclaimed, rising in her chair. "Chloe is underage. I should have been informed of this change."

My dad shot her a stern look. "Calm down, Lauren. Raising your voice isn't going to solve anything."

She returned his look with a dangerous one. "Funny you should talk. After all, y_ou_ were the one who allowed her to come here, Steven. And maybe if you weren't constantly jetting off to who knows where, you would have paid more attention to what was going on in Chloe's life," she shot back.

I watched with horror as my dad's face reddened with anger. "Is that what this is about, Lauren? You think I'm an unsatisfactory parent, don't you?" he demanded as he too rose out of his chair to face her. "No need to be polite with me. I know you've been _itching_ for me to screw up so you can rip me another one."

"Well in that case, I'll admit to it. You are _never_ around. Never have and never will be," she spat. "Have you ever seen the look on Chloe's face whenever she looks for you in the crowd, only to be disappointed that you're not there? Let me answer that for you: the answer is no."

My dad flinched as though someone had shot him. And in a way, someone did. There was some truth to my aunt's words. When I was younger, I was always looking forward to seeing my dad return from his many business trips. Each time, I had hoped that he would stay long enough to see me at my events and was crestfallen whenever he wasn't there. But as I grew older, I realized that he was busy not because he wanted to be, but because work never ended for him.

However, whenever he came home for the breaks in between his work, my dad always made sure to dedicate as much time as he could for me. It didn't quite make up for his absence, but it was enough for me.

From a young age, I've always thought of my dad as a hero; someone who was strong, brave and had no weaknesses. But he had one; it was me.

For him, he was terrified that I never forgave him for all of his absences during my childhood.

"Dad, it's not like that," I reassured him. "When I was little, I didn't understand why you were always gone. But I was never angry at you. I just wished you were home more.

"Whenever you were away, you made me promises that you would take some time off to spend it with me. And you've never broken one, which means a lot to me. So please don't think I was ever mad at you for being away."

My dad looked at me with a tinge of sadness in his eyes before a hint of a smile appeared on his face. Maybe my words won't fix everything, but if they are able to comfort him, then that was good enough for me. I turned to face my aunt. "I'm so sorry that I lied about rooming alone," I told her as her brows furrowed in concentration. "I should have told you when I first found out, but I was worried that you would freak out and insist on fixing everything for me."

She opened her mouth but I hurried on, determined to have my say. "But there's nothing that needs to be fixed, Aunt Lauren. I'm perfectly happy where I am, so please don't blame my dad. He didn't do anything wrong."

"Still, it doesn't change the fact that you're a minor living with a boy. An _older_ boy," she emphasized as she glanced around the table before her gaze settled on Kit. "You didn't seem too surprised when I revealed that the two of them have been living together. Did you know of this matter beforehand?"

Kit nodded. "Yes, Derek told me shortly after Chloe moved into his room."

"And it didn't raise any _concerns_?"

I felt my cheeks heat at her tone. Without a doubt, she was referring to sexual intercourse.

A dark look crossed Kit's face. "I admit that I was a little surprised with the arrangement, but no, I was never concerned about my son and your niece rooming together. They're both good kids. However, I don't appreciate the insinuation that you think otherwise of my son, Lauren," he said, his voice stern.

Now it was my aunt's turn to blush. "O-of course not..."

Kit moved on. "As unlikely as the chances are that Chloe and Derek would end up together as roommates in the first place, I don't think I would have changed anything. Without a doubt, I can see that they are good for each other," he added. "Derek seems to be a lot happier now than he was at the beginning of the school year. And I think that the reason for this change is Chloe's presence in his life."

When Kit turned to me with a caring smile, I had to suppress the urge to grin like a dork. I was elated to know that he had such a high opinion of me. Even though it was evident that Derek had not mentioned the change in our relationship to his dad, Kit knew his son well enough to figure it out. And he seemed to be okay with it. Not only that, but he was also on our side in this argument. It gave me hope that everything would turn out okay.

The meeting went on for a while as we discussed my rooming situation. At one point, Mrs. Talbot pointed out that since the international students had finished their overseas program, there were now vacant rooms. Aunt Lauren jumped on this idea immediately. "That seems like a suitable arrangement," she remarked as she smiled at me. "You can move in right away, Chloe."

It irritated me that she made the decision without thinking about what I felt. I didn't mind so much when I was younger because I always thought that she did what was best for me. But now, moving into a new room wasn't something that I wanted. "I don't want to," I replied, gritting my teeth.

My aunt's smile instantly froze up as she stared at me in confusion. "Why wouldn't you want to move out of that room?"

"I told you earlier that I'm happy where I am. I don't want to move out. Please let me stay there," I pleaded.

Aunt Lauren's gaze hardened at my words and my heart sunk. Never before had I gone against her and I could see that her anger was going to influence her decision. She wasn't going to let my proposition fly. Her lips thinned. "I'm trying to do what is best for you, Chloe. Given that you lied to me, I don't think you can have a say on this matter," she said sharply.

I stared at her as I felt everything come crashing down inside of me. I knew that she was upset with my lie, but I didn't think she would react so strongly about it. A part of me knew that this was what I deserved but the fighter in me refused to believe that at a single command, I was to move out of my room. I decided to try again. "Please, Aunt Lauren. I know what I did was wrong, but I just want to stay where I am."

As the last of my words left me, I looked into my aunt's face and knew that she wasn't going to change her mind. Once she made her decision, there was nothing that could change it.

I was going to move out.

Dejectedly, my shoulders slumped as I exhaled heavily. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Derek's concerned look but I didn't have any energy to summon up a strong face for him. I felt so drained and cheerless.

Just as my eyes began to water with my misery, my dad spoke, "I think you've gone too far, Lauren."

My head snapped up as I glanced at my father with astonishment. It wasn't like he lost to my aunt in terms of fierceness, but more often than not, they came to a similar conclusion, no matter how many times times they butted heads along the way. So I had not expected that he would have thought differently.

"Chloe's methods weren't ideal, but I know my daughter well enough to know that she has been repenting her choices," my dad continued on. "No matter what you think, Chloe's happiness comes first. And if she would be happier staying where she is, then I give her my permission to do so."

Aunt Lauren gawked at my father as though she couldn't believe what he was saying. "But Steven, your _only_ daughter is rooming with a boy!" she exclaimed.

My dad gave her an icy look, one that he normally reserved for special occasions. Whenever I had misbehaved during my earlier years, he would give me that expression. It was one that said he had no time for my foolishness and that there would be consequences if I didn't listen carefully. Even though I had not seen it for many years, it still gave me the chills.

"I am well aware of that. However, I have met Derek and I find that he is the type of person you can come to trust. He seems like an honourable young man who has a good heart. But above all, I believe in my daughter's judgement of his character."

As my dad turned to look at me, his eyes filled with pride, I felt my gloom fade away to be replaced by hope and joy. I was at a loss of words as I stared at my father, trying to convey what I felt with my expression. Even without words, I wanted him to know how much it meant to me that he stood up on my side rather than against me. After a long moment, my dad nodded once, acknowledging my gratefulness and I felt a smile tug at my lips.

It is funny how things can seem so hopeless when it feels like the world has turned its back to you, leaving you in the dark, but it just took one person to return that light.

With an overwhelming majority, it was then decided that I was able to keep my current room assignment, much to my aunt's chagrin. I watched her petite figure storm away as I stood in front of my dorm with my father and Derek. I felt a twinge of sadness as the guilt of upsetting her bit at me. Whatever her faults were, she was still family. I sighed as she disappeared out of view. My dad peered down at me and rubbed my shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, she'll get over it. She's a strong woman and a force to be reckoned with," he said with a smile. "It must run in the family."

A small laugh bubbled up. "That's right," I answered.

We stood there in silence for a few moments longer before my dad declared that he had to get going for a board meeting. I hugged my dad tightly, burying my head against his chest like I had done ever since I was a little kid. "Thanks for everything today," I murmured.

He placed a kiss on the top of my head as he returned my hug. "You're welcome. But please keep in mind that you can always tell me the truth, Chloe," he breathed. "No matter what it is, we'll face it together, okay?"

I nodded as I stepped back. "Okay."

Finally, he turned to Derek, who had waited patiently beside me. "Now, I better not hear any complaints from my daughter or else I'll have your hide," my dad warned, his face serious.

Derek's lips twitched, as though suppressing a smile. "Yes sir."

"And you'll look after her?"

A nod. "Without a doubt."

My dad studied Derek's face intently and after a long moment, his expression relaxed into that of a smile. "Good."

With promises that he'll come visit soon, my dad left us shortly after. Then it was just Derek and me.

I glanced up at him. "Seems like we get to stay together." I grinned. "I was worried that we'd be separated."

He smiled. "But we're not. I told you everything would be okay."

I rolled my eyes. "What are you, omniscient?" I teased.

Derek chose not to answer as he slipped his hand around mine, fingers entwining. "Well, we still have the rest of the day. Where do you want to go?" he questioned.

"Guess."

A groan. "I hate guessing."

I sighed as I turned in the direction of our dorm's main doors, the familiar sight warming me up. To think, I stood here four months ago, completely unaware of everything that was going to happen to me. I had lived through a lot of memories, both the good and the bad. There were some that I wished I had done things differently, but a part of me was glad that everything ended the way it did because I wouldn't have chosen it another way.

I'm grateful to everyone here at Lyle Academy for shaping the person that I am now. My best friends, Tori and Liz, were constantly supporting me and helping me get through the bad times. Simon, who was like an older brother, was a guy whose optimism made me smile everyday. Even though I had hated her at one point, my encounter with Melinda wasn't all bad; she had taught me to stand up for myself.

Nate had also helped me in a way. From the beginning, I had liked him for his radiant personality. His leadership and charisma drew me in like it had done with many other girls before me. And I had fallen for him before he broke my heart. So as painful as it was, I had learned how to recover from one.

And what about the guy beside me? Even now, I can't express my gratitude for his existence; words alone are not enough. Like a light that represented everything good, Derek stood there beside me for every step of the way.

Whenever I stumbled, he would reach out to steady me. If I fell, I could always count on him to help me up and bandage my injuries. Whenever I felt that it'd be easier to just call it quits, he encouraged me to keep trying. He was there for my heartbreak and had witnessed my tears. Although I have caused a heck of a lot of trouble for him, Derek never gave up on me. He even taught me what it meant to love someone.

So with all of that combined, it helped me grow into my present self.

Even though there would be more obstacles to get through in the future, I wasn't worried. Like Derek had said:

"_Everything would be okay_."

And I knew that it would be, because I had him by my side. I smiled up at him as I tugged him towards the building.

"Let's go home, roomie."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh my god! I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that this fanfic is officially finished! It seems like I have been writing it forever, but wow, it's finally done. It's so strange, haha. I had a blast writing this fanfic from chapter one until now and I hope you all did too. I'm so very grateful to each and every one you guys who picked up this fanfic and continued it. I initially wrote this fanfic as a small project based on an idea I had about dormitories and campus life, so I had absolutely no idea how big it'd end up to be. But I'm glad that it got to this point because I got to meet so many amazing people! Thank you all so so much! **

**As a thank you, I'll be adding one BONUS chapter in Derek's POV due to popular request. So please keep an eye out for that in your notifications. I'll write it after my stressful week of a paper and three midterms is over. **

**Also, I've had a number of you ask if there will be a sequel and the answer to that is "no", because I'm completely finished with this plot and I don't think any sequel that I make would do this fanfic justice.**

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><strong>


	31. My Promise

**A/N: Hey guys! It's so weird for me to think Never Alone is done, because I had been working on it for more than a year, but with this last piece to add, I'm happy to say that I can finally close this chapter. **

**By a popular request, I decided to do a bonus chapter in Derek's POV for Chapter 19: Truth. The majority of you probably don't remember what it had been about, but that's okay, you'll be reminded of what happened here.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers**

* * *

><p><strong>Bonus Chapter: My Promise<strong>

I sighed as I unlocked the door to my room, exhausted from today's basketball practice.

Tomorrow was the first game of the season and Coach Turner wanted to make sure that everything went perfectly, so he had insisted on a last minute practice session. We had gone through the usual drills and after getting most of them down, the coach was finally satisfied and dismissed us to get some rest.

"I'm back," I murmured as I closed the door behind me.

As I slipped inside, I took a quick glance around and was surprised to see that it was empty. _Huh. Weird._ I thought. Normally by now, Chloe would have been back, unless she had plans with her friends. But I had seen Tori and Liz on the way back and Chloe wasn't with them.

I dropped my sports bag at the end of the bed with a soft _thump_ as it landed on the floor. Then I surveyed the room again, noting Chloe's absence. Although it was stupid to think that she had nothing else better to do than to hang out in our room, I had grown accustomed to seeing her whenever I got back from a long day. So I guess it was a little disconcerting to find the room empty. I paused in my thoughts.

Damn, how long has it been since this aspect of me changed? I used to like the peace and quiet. I mean, I guess I still do, but I had never noticed how lonely it was until recently. Whenever Chloe was around, she had this bizarre ability to light up the room with her presence. As stupid as it sounds, she was just so full of life that with every smile, it chased away my exhaustion. In other words, I like her company.

Stretched out on the bed, I thought back to the beginning and smiled at how everything had seemed so different then.

When I was notified in the middle of September that I was going to have a roommate, I was less than enthusiastic. Add in the factor that the new kid was female didn't make it any better. Not only did I have to share my room with someone else, but I was stuck with a presumably silly, giggling airhead until the beginning of the next term at the very least. You can say that it's unfair to make assumptions about someone I haven't even met, but I have seen (and heard) enough to doubt the intelligence of the other half of the homo sapiens species. So what do I think about living with a girl? Fantastic. _Just bloody fantastic._

Simon had joked that I'll finally have some inevitable interaction with the opposite gender, but obviously, we didn't have the same opinion. He likes girls a lot. And they like him back. With his easy-going and charismatic personality, he has always been in the centre of the social circle.

As for me, I'm known as Simon's jerk brother and once in a while, for those who actually notice, I'm also thought of as one of our school's key basketball players. But apparently, "Derek the Jerk" sounds better than "Derek the Basketball Star", so most people think of the former when it comes to me. It bugs Simon when I get treated as though I had the plague, but I really don't care. It's better than having to constantly be in everyone's good books. Not to mention quieter. Dad used to worry about my lack of a social life, but after I reassured him that I was happier this way, he backed off.

And it was true.

That is, until Chloe moved in and screwed everything up.

With our first encounter, I had dismissed her immediately as unexceptional. She was a tiny strawberry blonde with big expressive blue eyes and had an uncertain look on her face. I was still pissed at having to room with someone other than my brother and so, I was determined to retain my asshole status around her, in hopes that she'd leave me alone.

At first, Chloe tried to offer me her friendship, but I wasn't interested and her enthusiasm dimmed shortly after. I'd avoid her with every excuse I got. Between my training and my job, it was easy to stay away. But unfortunately, my plan backfired; my disappearances only piqued her curiosity.

And needless to say, Chloe followed me during one of my early training sessions.

When I chewed her out for stalking me, she had apologized. But what caught me off guard was that she didn't think the worst of me, like the rest of the school did. Even though I had been an ass to her, Chloe refused to believe the rumours that I was a shady character that was affiliated with gangs and drug dealing.

Maybe it was because she was the first person who said that to my face, but I forgave her and in a rare turn of events, had also allowed her to watch my training session. And surprisingly enough, she had taken my offer.

From there, I started to realize that Chloe wasn't who I had thought she was and over time, we became friends.

Sure, there were some bumps along the way, but we got through them. Well, _most_ of them. My smile faded as I thought about the last one remaining.

It was Nate.

Otherwise known as Chloe's boyfriend and captain of the boys' basketball team.

I gritted my teeth at the thought of him. Like Simon, Nate was high up on the social ladder. Add the fact that he was both captain and in the student council made him an important person in our school. At first, he seemed like an okay guy too.

As the head of the team, Nate was a decent player who cared about winning as much as I did. Whenever the team didn't get along, he would get everyone to shape up and pull us through game after game. He didn't judge me like the other players. Instead, Nate saw my ability to play and made an effort to pass to me even if no one else did. He treated me like a teammate. And that made me learn to respect him.

However, everything changed during that one match last year. We were in the playoffs for the district and our team was two points behind. Time was running out and Nate had the ball. When our opponents caught up to him, Nate was forced to shoot and the ball bounced off the backboard. Luckily, Simon had been close, because he caught it before anyone else could and threw it to me.

Hell, I knew that there were only a few seconds left, so I didn't think about whether or not I could do it. I shot from outside the three point line and amazingly enough, it went in, resulting in a buzzer beater. We had barely won.

What happened after was a blur because it turned out that there was a college agent in the audience who was so impressed with my game that I got a full scholarship. Every one of my teammates congratulated me on my win and Nate did as well, but underneath his forced grin, I saw his resentment towards me. He wanted to have been the one who scored.

While I understood that he wanted to have been the one who pulled his team out of a tight spot, I didn't get why he was so upset over his loss. It was just bad luck that he missed. Heck, I've hated myself for the ones where I screwed up, but I got over them with each basket. But Nate didn't, no matter how many times he scored.

I tried talking to him about it, but he rebutted me each time and eventually, I just stopped trying. And from there, whatever relationship we had as friends was gone. Nate stopped going out of his way to be more than a teammate. I even heard that he had tried to get the coach to take me off the team. He knew how much I loved basketball because he felt the same way. Nate was one of the few who worked as hard as I did to get to where we are. So, even if the coach had refused his proposal, I never forgave Nate for trying.

Whatever hole Nate had left with his betrayal felt painful at first, but over time, that part of me mended itself together again. And I berated myself for being a fool to take a chance at friendship.

But Chloe changed my mentality when she moved in.

Somehow, in that tiny body of hers, she was like a blazing fire. Although she wasn't always sure of herself, Chloe stood up for everything she believed in. She didn't cave in when she was being bullied by most of the female population at school. Instead, Chloe fought back, her determination unwavering.

And above all, she taught me what it meant to have friends. Chloe shattered my barriers and dragged me every step of the way, never relenting. In some way, she had seen through my loneliness, the one that had stayed with me ever since my mother's death, even if I was unaware of it. Chloe made me realize what I had been missing.

I wouldn't say that I completely changed; I still like the peace and quiet. But having other people around isn't as bad as I had always thought. Sure, we bicker sometimes, but that's part of the fun of it. And I owed it to Chloe for showing me that it was worth it to have friends.

Which is why I didn't think Nate deserved her. Chloe deserves someone who is loyal, trustworthy and honest among other things. _Someone like-_ I stopped.

Those were dangerous thoughts. And finishing them meant that I felt like there was a possibility that maybe, just maybe, Chloe could like me more than a friend. But there was no way that _that_ could happen. After all, I was just me.

I sighed as I sat up, raking a hand through my dishevelled hair. Anyway, there was no point in thinking hypothetically because that meant that I was wrong. And all _that_ did was make me an idiot for getting my hopes up.

_No_, I thought, standing up._ It'd be better for her if I was just a friend._

With that thought, I closed the door to both my room and my feelings.

Dinnertime came. Again, there was no sign of Chloe. By then, I was starting to worry about her absence. It wasn't like her to be out so long without saying anything. My face must have been apprehensive because Liz explained that Chloe was staying after school to make cookies for Nate.

I blinked. Oh. Right. Nate. I tried to keep my face neutral, but some of my emotions must have slipped through because Liz gave me a sympathetic smile. Even though Liz wasn't as bright as Tori was, she figured out that I had feelings for Chloe. And that they were unrequited.

That last part stung the most.

"She'll be back soon, Derek," said Liz.

I attempted to return her smile, but it ended more like a grimace. Feeling the awkward tension, Tori changed the subject and everything went back to normal. Except that I didn't feel as hungry as I had felt earlier. Every now and then, Simon would give me a concerned look, but I shook my head. He didn't need to worry about me; I was fine. After all, it wasn't anything new that Chloe had chosen Nate over me.

The rest of dinner passed by. Finally, it was time to start the movie. Each dorm presented a different movie and you were allowed to go to whichever one you wanted. I didn't care about what we saw, but I knew Chloe did. She had been excited upon hearing that Zombieland was playing this week in our dorm. And so, that's what I decided on seeing as well.

Only that she was absent. Which was strange, given how much she loved movies.

Soon enough, the opening scene came on and the sounds of popcorn crunching filled the darkened room. When I glanced around, everyone else was staring intently at the screen as the guy starts to explain how he lasted so long in a zombie shit-world. No one else seemed to think that it was weird that Chloe wasn't here. It wasn't as though she could get up the staircase without passing the entertainment area and slip into our room unnoticed.

Was I making a big deal out of nothing? Probably. But hell, a quick text asking on her whereabouts couldn't hurt.

Even though I wasn't much of a baker, there was no way cookies and clean up took two hours. _Maybe Chloe and Nate decided to spend some time alone together rather than come and hang out with everyone else._ I thought as my black mood dropped even further. But even then, Chloe would have said something to me so that I wouldn't be freaking out like I was now.

For the next ten minutes, I got absolutely nothing from the movie. I was too busy fidgeting and tapping my knees to pay attention. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer; Chloe didn't reply to my text. I stood up, catching half the room's attention. "What's up, bro?" Simon whispered as he dragged his eyes from the screen.

"Going to look for Chloe," I murmured in reply. "Then tell her off."

Simon's brows furrowed in concern as he started to rise as well. "I'll help," he offered but I shook my head.

There was no point in two of us missing the movie. I shook my head. "I got it. Enjoy the movie," I muttered as I grabbed my jacket and slipped out of the room.

With the thirty or so steps it took for me to get to the front door, I cursed my roommate for a hundred kinds of stupid. She was smart enough to know that she should have told someone on her whereabouts. Like Liz, Tori or Simon. Or even better, me. But she didn't. And here I was, flipping out worrying about what could have happened to her.

Sure, Lyle Academy was kind of in the middle of nowhere and on a mountain, but it didn't mean that nothing bad ever happened. Not to mention her knack of getting herself into bad situations. Like declaring war with Melinda Fawkes or butting heads with a potential rapist. No matter how many times I told her to be careful, I was still worried.

I yanked the door open with more force than necessary and was greeted with the sizzling of heavy rain pounding on the cement. As I stepped out, I saw a familiar silhouette coming up the stairs. It was Chloe.

The sight of her safe made the relief come crashing down in me. I had been freaking out for nothing. Even though I was happy to see her, I still felt the uncontrollable urge to give her shit. "Where the hell were you? And why didn't you reply to my text?" I snapped as I looked down on her.

When she flinched at the sound of my tone, I felt bad. Yeah, Chloe had messed up, but she didn't need me to make it worse. She turned her face to the side, unable to meet my eyes. "Sorry, I don't feel like watching a movie," she mumbled as she continued to advance up the stairs.

My brows furrowed at the sound of her voice. It seemed deflated, as though she had no energy to reply back. It was so uncharacteristic of her that my heart thudded anxiously.

Something had gone wrong.

"Chloe? Are you okay?" I asked as I took a few paces forward.

As soon as she stepped into the light, I took in the sight of her and stopped short. She was completely soaked from head to toe. Her hair was matted against her face, hiding her features from me. How long had she been in the rain? "You're completely drenched. What happened?" I questioned softly, my earlier anger was now forgotten.

Chloe didn't reply as she tried to brush past me into the building. I sidestepped and blocked her path. She wasn't going anywhere until I got an answer. "Chloe..." I prompted.

Again, there was no reply. There was a part of me that wanted to just let her go, but I couldn't. Why wouldn't she face me? I needed to know what had happened to her. When Chloe tried to pass me again, I reached out and grabbed her arm, noting how small and frail she felt. "Look at me," I demanded as I pulled her towards me.

She let out a small gasp of surprise as her eyes shot up to meet mine. I took a good look at her red puffy eyes and knew that she had been crying. Her cheeks were flushed from her tears and she looked absolutely miserable. I let out a whispered oath as her face looked as though it was about to crumble. "You've been crying," I said softly, as I released her arm.

As I looked at my roommate's damaged expression and felt the anger flare up in me. Who did this to her? Who wounded her so badly that she looked like her heart was broken? A low growl burned in my throat as I came to an answer. "It's Nate, isn't it?" I demanded, barely concealing my rage.

I knew I was spot on because at the bare mention of his name, Chloe stiffened as her eyes filled with tears. I clenched my fists so hard that I felt my nails dig into the flesh of my palm. I never liked the idea of Chloe going out with that asshole, but it was what she wanted. I ignored all the warning signs because I thought it would be okay. That he genuinely liked her. But he did something so bad that it damaged her to the point that she was crying. It doesn't matter what it was, only that Chloe got hurt in the process.

And that was unforgivable.

"I'm going to kill him," I swore, my tone dangerously low.

I was angry at Nate, but I was also furious with myself. I told myself over and over that Nate wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't _dare_. But I was wrong. And now Chloe was suffering.

A sniffle broke my thoughts as I returned to reality. I looked at all five feet of Chloe, who somehow seemed even smaller than usual. Her usual brilliant blue eyes looked dim as she shivered subconsciously under the rain.

That got my attention. There would be time for my anger later. But for now, I had to get her out of the frigid temperature. "C'mon, let's go inside before you get sick," I murmured as I took her arm gently.

As we stepped inside the dorm, Chloe trudged lifelessly along beside me, leaving in our wake small puddles. When we approached the entertainment area, where the staircase was located, Chloe froze. I glanced back to see what was the matter when I looked at her again and realized that she didn't want everyone to see her in this state.

Without a word, I unzipped my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Then I pulled the hood up so that it would hide some of her pale face before bringing her into the main area.

When we stepped into the darkened room, several heads turned our way. At the sight of us, Liz leaped to her feet, her face scrunched in concern. I shook my head at her as she was obviously about to ask Chloe on what happened. Chloe didn't need a whole audience. She was cold, wet and probably hungry. First though, she needed a hot shower.

My jaw set as I exchanged a look with Liz. I knew that she was worried but I wasn't going to let anything happen to Chloe. Once she was satisfied that I would look after her friend, she gave me a single nod and we continued our way up to our room.

Once in the safety of our shared room, Chloe lowered her hood, dripping slightly on the floor. I looked at her and felt the sadness radiating off her. Never before had I wanted to injure Nate as much as I wanted to at this moment. And I didn't even know what he did. But that would have to wait. I brushed my bangs back and released a frustrated breath. "Go wash up and then we'll talk," I said. "Okay?"

Chloe gave a small nod. "Alright."

Even her voice seemed dejected. I watched her as she grabbed her pyjamas and headed into the bathroom. Once the door was closed with a quiet _click_, I glanced at the small puddles on the floor and went to work. Then I figured that Chloe was probably hungry, considering she had missed dinner, so I slipped out of the room and hurried downstairs.

There was a small convenience food stall located in the lobby, so I went over to see what they had. Since it was late into the evening, they were about to close for the night, but I had made it in time. I checked out the remaining options for food which included sandwiches and fruit, but decided on getting a bowl of hot soup instead. I wasn't quite sure what Chloe liked, but the chicken noodle looked more appetizing than the cream of mushroom, so I quickly filled a bowl and paid for it before returning to my room.

About five minutes later, Chloe emerged from the bathroom, looking better than earlier. Her cheeks were rosy from the heat and some of the glow had returned to her eyes. They were still slightly puffy, but it was less noticeable now. "Hey," I said, feeling a little uncertain as I nodded at the steaming bowl on her table. "I got you some soup, in case you were hungry."

Chloe inhaled the savoury smell and a small smile appeared on her face. It was hardly the grin that I was accustomed to, but at that moment, that one little smile had all the power in the world. She sat on her bed and turned to face me. "Thank you, Derek," she said softly.

"You're welcome."

She glanced down at her bowl and she stirred the ingredients around and around. "I hung your jacket in the bathroom to dry," she told me.

I waved my hand dismissively at her words. I didn't care less about the state of my jacket. What I cared about was what had gone wrong with Nate. It may seem like it is none of my business, but I needed to know. After all, it was my poor judgement that had landed Chloe in this situation. "What happened?" I questioned, pleading for her to tell me the truth.

She looked up at me, her blue irises swimming with pain and grief. They contrasted greatly with her usual cheerful and energetic nature. Seeing her like this hurt me.

I never would have thought that I would have someone other than my family whom I cared so deeply for. Whenever she smiled, I couldn't help but to smile with her. Whenever she was angry, I wanted to hunt down her enemies and make them pay. Now, seeing her raw pain, I wanted to take it away so that she wouldn't have to suffer. What hurt me now was that I couldn't take it all away.

But I could ease some of the burden she had to carry.

Chloe took a shuddering breath and launched her story of Nate's betrayal.

Angry and wounded by his father's dismissal, Nate had hated me ever since the game last year. He wanted me to feel the pain that he had experienced from the rejection and for that reason, Nate had used Chloe as an instrument of revenge. He knew that Chloe was important to me and that if he hurt her, I would be affected in the process. I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt myself shake with barely contained fury.

Damn it. This shouldn't have happened. Not to her. Chloe had done nothing wrong. And yet, Nate had played with her feelings and used her like she was an insignificant object. Only a tool in his revenge.

I didn't care what he did to me, but Nate had gone too far with using other people. People that I care about. And he made them suffer.

I _will_ make him pay.

With this resolution, I clenched my teeth as I opened my eyes to see Chloe's anxious expression. Even when her heart was broken, I could see that she was worried about how I took these news. Because that was just the way she is. Always caring for about other people. It was unbelievable that Nate had used her feelings for him and distorted them into something as malevolent as vengeance. "That bastard," I whispered, trying to keep my anger at bay. "He should have kept you out of it. It was between us. You had nothing to do with it."

Chloe remained silent as she stared sadly into her bowl of untouched soup. I watched as memories flickered across face, her expression crumbling as she lived through them again. "Everything was a lie," she whispered, her voice almost inaudible.

Even though Nate was to blame for all of this, I wasn't completely innocent of the crime either. If I had missed that basket, then none of this would have happened. The three of us could have been good friends. I clenched my fists, watching my knuckles turn white. "I'm so sorry. You were dragged into this because of me," I said, gritting my teeth against the pain as my nails dug into my palms.

Chloe shook her head. "No, Derek. It's my fault; I was too stupid to see it. I was just too eager to believe." _That he liked me for being me._ She didn't say it, but we both heard it.

A tear slipped down her cheek and she hastily raised her hand to wipe it away. My heart ached for her as more and more tears escaped. I rose from my chair and took my place next to her on the bed, the springs groaning in complaint. Chloe averted her eyes as she hid her face behind her forearms, her shoulders trembling with grief.

A spark of anger flitted through me as I watched her spill her emotions for me to see. It made me hate Nate all the more. He took away Chloe's fighting spirit and left her with nothing but pain. She honestly believed that she had brought this upon herself. That it was wrong to love someone. But she should know better than anyone that love was one of the purest forms of emotion out there. After all, she was the one who had taught me that.

Gently, I placed my fingers under her chin and turned her to look at me. She looked at me through grief stricken eyes and I cursed the one responsible for her pain. "It's not your fault either; it's Nate's. He wasn't worth your goodness and he sure as hell doesn't deserve you now. So just let him go," I murmured quietly, pleading silently for her to listen. "You'll find someone much better than he is and you'll be happy."

She blinked as her tears slowed enough for her to stare at me with her sky blue eyes. "Because you think that I'm worth it?" she questioned with a hiccup.

I smiled at her. Was there ever any doubt? If so, I hoped that I could clear her disbelief. "I absolutely think you're worth it."

At my words, a final tear slid down her face as she wrapped her arms around my waist, burying her face against me.

We stayed like that for a little while with neither of us saying a word. I wanted her to know that I was here, and that I would always stand by her side. No matter what.

When I heard the easy rhythmic pattern of her breathing, I knew that Chloe had fallen asleep. She had cried to the point that she exhausted herself to oblivion. Today had been a rough day for her. Not physically, but emotionally. She had been betrayed and lied to by someone she had loved.

And that was going to leave an unseen wound. But it will heal; it just took time.

_I know it hurts now. _

_But you'll be okay... Everything will be all right._

_I promise._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And voila, the final addition to Never Alone. This story is officially done and no further details will be added. I really enjoyed writing this last piece because for me, chapter 19 was really significant. It was first major idea I had for this story and I think it's almost incredible for me to be able to get to it without any major changes. So I hoped you enjoyed it too. **

**Finals are in a week and you won't be hearing from me until May, but when I post my next fanfic, Amnesia, I hope you'll look forward to it.**

**As always, I love you all! Until then,**

**-xSweetEternityx**

**(Project duration: September 17, 2011 - April 8, 2013... Project status: Complete!)**


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